Thomas Blamey

Sir Thomas Blamey GBE KCB CMG DSO (24 January 1884–27 May 1951) was a controversial Australian General of World War II, and Australia's first and (so far) only Field Marshal.

Opinions about Blamey are polarised. Many historians and contemporaries view him as an inspired general, whose energy, skill and political acumen built the Australian Army into the highly professional organisation it became. Others have judged him as a spiteful, immoral and ultimately cowardly man who was ready to sacrifice anyone in order to preserve or advance his own position.

First World War

Blamey served in the 1st AIF in the First World War. In mid-1914 Blamey had been in Britain on the staff of the Wessex Division. In November he sailed for Egypt, along with Harry Chauvel, to join the Australian contingent and became intelligence officer on the staff of the Australian 1st Division for the Battle of Gallipoli. During the landing at Anzac Cove, Blamey was sent to evaluate the need for reinforcements by Colonel M'Cay's 2nd Brigade on 400 Plateau.

In July 1915 Blamey was promoted to lieutenant colonel and joined the staff of the newly forming Australian 2nd Division in Egypt. When the Australian forces moved to France in 1916, Blamey returned to the 1st Division staff and was involved in the Battle of Pozières.

Blamey briefly held battalion and brigade command posts in late 1916 and early 1917 but as an experienced staff officer was considered too valuable for a combat post. He was promoted to brigadier general on 1 June 1918 and became chief of corps staff of Lieutenant General Sir John Monash's Australian Corps. He played a significant role in the success of Monash's corps in the final months of the war.

Second World War

In between the wars, he was appointed as Commissioner of the Victoria Police, where scandal first found him. During a raid on a brothel, a friend of his was found to be in possession of Blamey's police identity card.

He later led the Australian Army as Chief of the General Staff. His relationship with Prime Minister John Curtin was reportedly strained.

Some of Blamey's most controversial actions concern the period after the Japanese declared war, and Douglas Mcarthur relocated to Australia.

During a speech to 21st Brigade, 2nd AIF in 1942, he accused the men in it of being "rabbits who run". This accusation of cowardice against the men who had turned back the Japanese on the Kokoda trail was received by them with intense bitterness.

His treatment of senior officers was also controversial. Biographers of many of Blamey's WWII contemporaries, including Generals Lavarack, Rowell, Allen and Morshead, as well as Birgadier