Sir John Monash was a great Australian. There is no doubt about that.
I agree with Tim Fischer that Sir John should be posthumously promoted to Field Marshal.
As we near the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I it seems appropriate to further recognise Sir John’s achievements. He was a brilliant strategist and proved himself one of the best generals of his time.
Growing up in the Latrobe Valley, I knew of him as the head of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria (SECV). He was an engineer and designed many bridges in Victoria.
His parents were of German-Jewish origin, which Fischer believes is partly responsible for Sir John being held back in rank.
I don’t know about that. The fact he came from a Militia background doesn’t sound a strong reason either, but may be true.
Possibly his greatest military achievement was the Battle of Hamel, which defied previous history and lasted just 92 minutes.
“Monash’s detailed planning of the battle as well as the briefing of all troops on their objectives were instrumental in the victory. It also marked the novel use of a number of tactics such as aerial resupply (parachute drops) and advanced coordination between infantry and armor.”
Some interesting trivia:
- On August 12, 1918 Sir John was knighted on the battlefield by King George V. It was the first time a British monarch had honored a commander in such a way in 200 years.
- A contingent of four companies of American troops from the 131st and 132nd Infantry regiments participated in the Battle of Hamel under Australian command. This was the first time American troops had served under a foreign commander.
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