General Sir Henry George Chauvel GCMG KCB mid*********** 1865-1945

Harry Chauvel was educated at Sydney and Toowoomba Grammar Schools, then ran his father's cattle station on the Clarence River and raised the Volunteer Upper Clarence Light Horse. On moving to the Darling Downs he was commissioned in the Queensland Mounted Infantry, then transferring to the Queensland Permanent Forces as adjutant of the Moreton Regiment.

After serving with distinction in the Boer War as a major in the QMI, his return to South Africa in command of the 7th Australian Commonwealth Horse in 1902 was frustrated by the war's end. Until World War 1 he filled staff and training appointments including adjutant general and in 1914 as Australian member of the Imperial General Staff.

Transferring to the AIF in Egypt, he took part in the Gallipoli campaign, and thereafter commanded 1st Division. However when this was dispatched to France he remained commanding the Australian Mounted Division, and after successful actions clearing the Turks from Sinai he was given command of the Desert Mounted Corps. This corps successfully participated in the capture of Palestine and Syria.

Postwar he was appointed Inspector General, reporting to parliament on the condition of the army, holding this position until 1931. He also chaired the committee which recommended the structure of the reorganised Militia: this exercise was emasculated by economies which set manning levels which reduced the army from 100,000 to 40,000, with but a six day camp annually.

The force was gradually reduced and failed to mechanise in any meaningful way, keeping a horsed army at the expense of a mechanised one. He was made general in 1929, retiring shortly thereafter. The position of Inspector General was discontinued, though he reappeared as Inspector-in-Chief of the Volunteer Defence Corps in 1940.