Edmund Drake-Brockman

Major General Edmund Alfred Drake-Brockman, CB, CMG, DSO, VD (21 February 1884 – 1 June 1949) was a distinguished Australian soldier, statesman, and judge who served in both the First and Second World Wars.

Edmund Drake-Brockman
Chief Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
In office
17 June 1947  1 June 1949
Preceded byHarold Piper
Succeeded byWilliam Kelly
Senator for Western Australia
In office
1 July 1920  30 June 1926
Personal details
Born(1884-02-21)21 February 1884
Busselton, Western Australia
Died1 June 1949(1949-06-01) (aged 65)
Tarnook, Victoria
Political partyNationalist Party of Australia
OccupationSoldier and judge
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army
Years of service1903–1942
RankMajor General
Commands3rd Division (1937–42)
4th Brigade (1918–19, 1921–26)
12th Training Battalion (1917–18)
4th Training Battalion (1917)
16th Battalion (1916–17, 1918)
Battles/warsFirst World War Second World War
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration
Mentioned in Despatches (6)
Order of Prince Danilo I (Montenegro)

Early life

Born in Busselton, Western Australia, Drake-Brockman was the son of surveyor Frederick Slade Drake-Brockman and heroine Grace Vernon Bussell and brother of Deborah Vernon Hackett. He was a 1902 graduate of the Guildford Grammar School. Interested in the military, he joined the Citizen Military Forces as a volunteer in 1903. He combined this with a career in law, becoming a barrister and solicitor in 1909, practicing in Perth.

First World War

Following the outbreak of the First World War, he volunteered for overseas service and served in the Gallipoli Campaign as a major while assigned to the 11th Battalion. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for his services at Gallipoli.[1] Later in the war, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded another Western Australian infantry battalion, the 16th, serving on the Western Front. In 1918, he was promoted to brigadier general and commanded the 4th Brigade.[2]

Later life

After the war he was elected to the Australian Senate in 1919 as a Nationalist Party of Australia representative, Drake-Brockman served in the Senate until 1926. He then worked as federal judge.

Still in the Citizen Military Forces, he was called up for duty during the Second World War, and commanded the 3rd Division, a militia formation, until 1942.[2] He died on 1 June 1949, and was survived the three children he had by his wife, Constance, whom he had married in April 1912.[3]

References

Citations
  1. Gill 2004, p. 126.
  2. Gill 2004, p. 127.
  3. Gill 2004, pp. 126–127.
Bibliography
  • Gill, Ian (2004). Fremantle to France: 11th Battalion A.I.F. 1914–1919 (2nd ed.). Myaree, Western Australia: Advance Press. ISBN 0-9750588-0-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Mallett, Ross, Major General Edmund Drake-Brockman, General Officers of the First AIF, adfa.edu.au
  • Sharp, Ian G. (1981) 'Drake-Brockman, Edmund Alfred (1884–1949)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 8, (MUP)
  • Obituary, Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University
Military offices
Preceded by
Major General Sir Thomas Blamey
General Officer Commanding 3rd Division
1937–1942
Succeeded by
Major General Stanley Savige
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