Monash, John, Sir, 1865-1931

Soldier, engineer, administrator. Working copy of official biography by Geoffrey Serle is held in Manuscript Section for use by staff and readers. A lengthy entry on Monash is also provided in Volume 10 of the "Australian dictionary of biography."

Commanded 3 Aust. Div., 1916-1918 and Aust. Corps, 1918; Director-General, Repatriation and Demobilisation Department, London, 1918-1919; Chairman of Commissioners and General Manager, State Electricity Commission of Victoria, 1920-1931. See A. J. Smithers, Sir John Monash (Leo Cooper, 1973).

Born in West Melbourne, Vic., Monash attended Jerilderie Public School, Scotch College and the University of Melbourne; lived in Toorak, Vic.; worked as an engineer; served in the 13th Infantry Brigade, A.M.F.; enlisted on 17 Sept. 1914 as a colonel in the 4th Brigade; was promoted to major general on 10 July 1916, and to temporary lieutenant general on 1 June 1918; his ultimate unit was the Australian Corps, A.I.F.; he was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George, the Knight Commander of the Bath and the Volunteer Forces Decoration; repatriated to Australia; and was commander of the Australian Corps.

Civil engineer; served in Gallipoli from the landing on 25 April 1915 until the evacuation, 19 December 1915; succeeded Sir William Birdwood in command of the Australian Army Corps in France, May 1918; promoted to Lieutenant-General 1918; Chairman of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria 1920. Author of The Australian Victories in France.

Monash joined Melbourne University's Metropolitan Brigade of the Garrison Artillery, and until the outbreak of war in 1914, he worked at learning the skills of artillery and engineering, as well as teaching and designing. By 1914, he was in command of the AIF's 4th Brigade in Egypt. After moving to the Western Front in 1916, Monash was promoted to Major General and took command of the 3rd Division. In the years leading to 1918, he and his troops were involved in many confrontations, including the Battles of Messines, the third battle of Ypres, and Polygon Wood, with some successes. In May 1918, Monash was appointed corps commander of the Australian forces, and in that year he led some significant attacks by Australian troops in the final stages of the war. After the war, he worked in many prominent civilian positions, the most notable being head of the Victorian State Electricity Commission