Edmund Drake-Brockman

Major General Edmund Alfred Drake-Brockman, CB, CMG, DSO, VD (21 February 1884 – 1 June 1949) was a distinguished Australian soldier, statesman, and judge who served in both the First and Second World Wars.

Edmund Drake-Brockman
Chief Judge of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration
In office 17 June 1947 – 1 June 1949
Preceded by	Harold Piper
Succeeded by	William Kelly
Senator for Western Australia
In office 1 July 1920 – 30 June 1926
Personal details
Born	21 February 1884 Busselton, Western Australia
Died	1 June 1949 (aged 65) Tarnook, Victoria
Political party	Nationalist Party of Australia
Occupation	Soldier and judge
Military service
Allegiance	Australia
Branch/service	Australian Army
Years of service	1903–1942
Rank	Major General
Commands	3rd Division (1937–42) 4th Brigade (1918–19, 1921–26) 12th Training Battalion (1917–18) 4th Training Battalion (1917) 16th Battalion (1916–17, 1918)
Battles/wars	First World War Gallipoli Campaign Western Front Battle of Pozières Battle of Mouquet Farm Battle of Bullecourt Battle of Hébuterne Battle of Hamel Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration Mentioned in Despatches (6) Order of Prince Danilo I (Montenegro)

Early life

Born in Busselton, Western Australia, Drake-Brockman was the son of surveyor Frederick Slade Drake-Brockman and heroine Grace Vernon Bussell and brother of Deborah Vernon Hackett. He was a 1902 graduate of the Guildford Grammar School. Interested in the military, he joined the Citizen Military Forces as a volunteer in 1903. He combined this with a career in law, becoming a barrister and solicitor in 1909, practicing in Perth.

First World War

Following the outbreak of the First World War, he volunteered for overseas service and served in the Gallipoli Campaign as a major while assigned to the 11th Battalion. He was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for his services at Gallipoli.[1] Later in the war, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and commanded another Western Australian infantry battalion, the 16th, serving on the Western Front. In 1918, he was promoted to brigadier general and commanded the 4th Brigade.[2]

Later life

After the war he was elected to the Australian Senate in 1919 as a Nationalist Party of Australia representative, Drake-Brockman served in the Senate until 1926. He then worked as federal judge.

Still in the Citizen Military Forces, he was called up for duty during the Second World War, and commanded the 3rd Division, a militia formation, until 1942.[2] He died on 1 June 1949, and was survived the three children he had by his wife, Constance, whom he had married in April 1912.[3]

References

Citations

1. Gill 2004, p. 126.
2. Gill 2004, p. 127.
3. Gill 2004, pp. 126–127.

Bibliography

• Gill, Ian (2004). Fremantle to France: 11th Battalion A.I.F. 1914–1919 (2nd ed.). Myaree, Western Australia: Advance Press. ISBN 0-9750588-0-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Mallett, Ross, Major General Edmund Drake-Brockman, General Officers of the First AIF, adfa.edu.au
• Sharp, Ian G. (1981) 'Drake-Brockman, Edmund Alfred (1884–1949)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 8, (MUP)
• Obituary, Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University