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Army, First World War (1914-18)Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Sturdee KB CBE DSO,1st & 2nd Australian Imperial Force
Informal portrait of Major Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee standing outside a dugout, reinforced with sandbags at Gallipoli Peninsula, Turkey, c 1915. Reproduced courtesy of the Australian War Memorial (P02869.001)
a kindly, humble and simple man who carried out his work with the minimum of fuss.
Sir Sydney Rowell
Sir Vernon Sturdee served Australia in both world wars and is one of our most celebrated soldiers. A veteran of Gallipoli and the Western Front, where he commanded the 5th Field Company, Australian Engineers, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on 1 January 1917 and was twice mentioned in despatches for his service in the First World War (1914-18).
In the Second World War (1939-45) Sturdee served as the Chief of General Staff and commanded the First Australian Army. On 6 September 1945 he was the senior Allied officer present at the surrender of Japanese Forces in Rabaul in the South West Pacific theatre.
On 1 December 1945 Sturdee was appointed Commander in Chief of the Australian Military Forces, overseeing the demobilisation of the wartime army. He was mentioned in despatches for a third time on 6 March 1947.
His medals are displayed in the Gallery of Medals
- Name Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee
- Service Number NX35000
- Date of Birth 16 April 1890
- Date of Birth
- Place of Birth Frankston, Victoria
- Date of Enlistment 25 August 1915
- Date of Enlistment
- Date of Discharge
- Date of Discharge
- Date of Death
- Date of Death
- Place of Death