Charles Herbert Locke

Charles Herbert "Bert" Locke OBE (21 September 1910 – 15 May 1977) was an Australian company director, who served as chairman of Tooheys and Lend Lease Corporation, and a charity fundraiser. During World War II he was in command of Z Special Unit and rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel.[1]

Bert Locke
Lieutenant Colonel Bert Locke in army uniform during World War II
Born
Charles Herbert Locke

(1910-09-24)24 September 1910
Turramurra, New South Wales, Australia
Died15 May 1977(1977-05-15) (aged 66)
San Francisco, California, US
NationalityAustralian
EducationNewington College
Wrekin College
OccupationChairman of Tooheys and Lend Lease Corporation
Spouse(s)
  • Lesley Alison Vine (married 1936–1972)
  • Mary Clare Luya Gregory (1973–1977)
Children3 sons and 1 daughter
AwardsOfficer of the Order of the British Empire

Early life

Locke was born in Turramurra, New South Wales, the fifth of seven children, and was educated at Newington College (1920–1925)[2] and at Wrekin College in Shropshire, England. He worked in insurance before a brief stint as a jackaroo and then with Prudential Assurance where he rose to be Sydney managing agent with power of attorney for the British Equitable Assurance.[1]

Career

Army service

In 1938 Locke was commissioned in the Militia. He was transferred to the Australian Imperial Force in 1940. He was promoted to captain and served with the 9th Division in the Middle East. He was mentioned in dispatches after service in Tobruk and Libya. In 1945 he took command of Z Special Unit and became a lieutenant colonel.[3]

Business career

Returning from the war, Locke again worked in the insurance business and was involved in several Australian companies. He served as chairman of Toohey's Ltd, Lend Lease Corporation Ltd,[4] International Computers (Australia) Pty Ltd and Anthony Squires Pty Ltd. He was a board member of the Australia Hotel Co. Ltd, Peko-Wallsend Ltd, Commercial & General Acceptance Ltd, Australian Equity Corporation Ltd, Permanent Trustee Co of New South Wales Ltd and the local board of Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Ltd.[5]

Personal

In 1936 Locke married Lesley Alison Vine,[6] with whom he had four children (3 sons and 1 daughter). Lesley died in 1972. Locke married Mary Clare Luya Gregory in 1973. He died in San Francisco, California in 1977, from a myocardial infarction.

Honours

Locke was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1968.[1][7]

References
  1. Perkins, John (2000). "Locke, Charles Herbert (1910–1977)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Melbourne University Press. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 4 October 2015 – via National Centre of Biography, Australian National University.
  2. Newington College Register of Past Students 1863-1998 (Syd, 1999) pp120
  3. Australian War Memorial – Honours and Awards
  4. Lindie Clark (2002). Finding a Common Interest: The Story of Dick Dusseldorp and Lend Lease. p. 248. ISBN 9780521825313. Retrieved 12 October 2015.
  5. [Biographical cuttings on Charles Herbert Locke, company chairman, containing one or more cuttings from newspapers or journals], 1900, retrieved 16 April 2014
  6. "MOVING TO NEW FLAT". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954). NSW: National Library of Australia. 6 June 1936. p. 11. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  7. "Diplomat who defied Red Guards knighted". The Canberra Times. ACT: National Library of Australia. 1 January 1968. p. 7. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
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