Walter Crocker

Sir Walter Russell Crocker KBE (25 March 1902  14 November 2002) was an Australian diplomat, writer and war veteran.

Sir Walter Crocker KBE
Sir Walter Crocker in 1953
Governor of South Australia
In office
30 April 1977  1 September 1977
Preceded byDouglas Nicholls
(as Governor)
Succeeded byKeith Seaman
(as Governor)
Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia
In office
3 September 1973  27 June 1982
GovernorMark Oliphant (1973-1976)
Douglas Nicholls (1976-1977)
Keith Seaman (1977-1982)
Donald Dunstan (1982)
Preceded byMellis Napier
Succeeded byCondor Laucke
Personal details
Born
Walter Russell Crocker

(1902-03-25)25 March 1902
Broken Hill, New South Wales
Died14 November 2002(2002-11-14) (aged 100)
Henley Beach, South Australia
NationalityAustralian
Spouse(s)
Claire Ward
(m. after 1951)
OccupationPublic servant, diplomat

Life and career

Crocker was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, the eldest son of Robert Crocker and Alma Bray.[1] He served in World War II with the British Army, becoming a lieutenant colonel.[1]

He was ambassador or high commissioner to eleven countries, including India (twice), Indonesia, Canada,[2] Italy, Belgium, Nepal, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.[3]

Crocker was a Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia for more than nine years.[1] He had two sons, Robert and Christopher.[4]

Books

Crocker authored a well-received biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: A Contemporary's Estimate (1966).

Awards

Crocker was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1955 while Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.[5] He was later promoted to become a Knight Commander of the Order in December 1977, in recognition of his service to the public.[6]

References

  1. Farquharson, John (2002), "Crocker, Sir Walter Russell (1902–2002)", Obituaries Australia, Australian National University, archived from the original on 11 July 2014
  2. "New High Commissioner to Canada". The Canberra Times. 23 October 1956. p. 2.
  3. "Australian Ambassador: Certain fears shape our foreign policy". The Canberra Times. 5 April 1971. p. 2.
  4. "Sir Walter Crocker dies, aged 100". The Advertiser. 2002. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012.
  5. "Search Australian Honours: CROCKER, Walter Russell", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 11 July 2014
  6. "Search Australian Honours: CROCKER, Walter Russell", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 11 July 2014

Further reading

  • Nehru: A Contemporary's Estimate by Walter Crocker with a Foreword by Arnold Toynbee (1966). New York: Oxford University Press.
  • Crocker, Walter (1971). Australian Ambassador: International Relations at First Hand. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 9780522839937.
  • Crocker, Walter (1981). Travelling Back: The Memoirs of Sir Walter Crocker. Macmillan. ISBN 0-333-33721-2.
  • Crocker, Walter (1983). Sir Thomas Playford: A Portrait. Melbourne University Press. ISBN 0-522-84250-X.
  • Partington, Geoffery (22 March 2002). "Sir Walter Crocker at one hundred". National Observer - Australia and World Affairs. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  • "Sir Walter Crocker Celebrates 100 Years" (Press release). Alexander Downer, MP. 25 March 2002. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  • "Sir Walter Crocker" (Press release). Alexander Downer, MP. 14 November 2002. Retrieved 31 January 2007.
  • "In Brief". The Canberra Times (Canberra). 3 September 1973.
  • Cockburn, Stewart (26 June 1982). "Inside Today". The Canberra Times (Canberra).
  • "Sir Walter Crocker dies, aged 100". The Advertiser (Adelaide). 15 November 2002.
  • Riddell, Don (16 November 2002). "Outspoken statesman a man for all seasons". The Advertiser (Adelaide).
  • Farquharson, John (27 November 2002). "Waspish diplomat with a sting in his political views". The Age (Melbourne).
  • "Obituary of Sir Walter Crocker, Colonial official and Australian ambassador who believed in the virtues of imperial rule". The Daily Telegraph (Sydney). 27 November 2002.
  • Gate, Richard (29 November 2002). "Stylish reporting marked diplomat's honest manner". The Australian.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by
Roy Gollan
Australian High Commissioner to India
1952  1955
Succeeded by
Peter Heydon
Preceded by
Charles Kevin
Australian Ambassador to Indonesia
1955  1957
Succeeded by
Laurence McIntyre
Preceded by
Douglas Copland
Australian High Commissioner to Canada
1957  1958
Succeeded by
Walter Cawthorn
Preceded by
Peter Heydon
Australian High Commissioner to India
1958  1962
Succeeded by
Bill Pritchett
as Acting High Commissioner
Preceded by
Edwin McCarthy
Australian Ambassador to the Netherlands
1962  1965
Succeeded by
Roden Cutler
New title Australian High Commissioners to Kenya
1965  1967
Succeeded by
Robert Hamilton
Preceded by
Alfred Stirling
Australian Ambassador to Italy
1967  1970
Succeeded by
Malcolm Booker
Government offices
Preceded by
John Jefferson Bray
Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia
1973–1982
Succeeded by
Sir Condor Laucke
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