Frederick Shedden

Sir Frederick Geoffrey Shedden KCMG, OBE (8 August 1893 – 8 July 1971) was an Australian public servant who served as Secretary of the Department of Defence from 1937 to 1956.[1]

Frederick Shedden KCMG, OBE
Sir
Secretary of the Department of Defence (II)
In office 17 November 1937 – 13 November 1939
Preceded by	Malcolm Shepherd
Succeeded by	Department abolished
Secretary of the Department of Defence Co-ordination
In office 13 November 1939 – 14 April 1942
Preceded by	Department established
Succeeded by	Department abolished
Secretary of the Department of Home Security
In office 1 July 1941 – December 1941
Preceded by	Department established
Succeeded by	Alexander Welch
Secretary of the Department of Defence (III)
In office 14 April 1942 – 28 October 1956
Preceded by	Department established
Succeeded by	Sir Ted Hicks
Personal details
Born	8 August 1893 Kyneton, Victoria
Died	8 July 1971 (aged 77) East Melbourne, Victoria
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Anne Cardno Edward
Alma mater	University of Melbourne
Occupation	Public servant

Background and early life

Frederick Shedden was born 8 August 1893 in Kyneton, Victoria.[2] His father was George Shedden, a wheelwright born in Victoria. His mother was Sarah Elizabeth (née Grey) from England. He was the youngest of five children.[1]

His was schooled at Kyneton State and Kyneton Grammar schools.[1]

Career

After placing very high in the Commonwealth Public Service examination, in March 1910 Shedden began his career in the Department of Defence at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne. He also studied law at Melbourne University, but the outbreak of World War One ended his studies.[1]

On 19 March 1917 he was appointed a lieutenant in the Australian Army Pay Corps. He served as the 4th Australian Divisions acting paymaster in August. On his return home he was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 24 December 1917.[1]

Shedden was Secretary to the Australian Government Department responsible for defence between 1937 and 1956:

• Secretary of the Department of Defence (II) (1937 to 1939)[3]
• Secretary of the Department of Defence Co-ordination (1939 to 1942)[4]
• Secretary of the Department of Home Security (1941)[5]
• Secretary of the Department of Defence (III) (1942 to 1956)[6]

Private life

On 14 December 1927 Shedden married Anne Cardno Edward. Later that same day he sailed for England to study at the Imperial Defence College.[1]

Awards and honours

In the King's Birthday Honours of June 1933, Shedden was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE).[7] He was also appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the New Year's Day Honours of 1941,[8] and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in the King's Birthday Honours of June 1943.[9]

Death

Shedden died on 8 July 1971 in St Andrew's Hospital, East Melbourne.[1]

He was the subject of a biography, Defence Supremo written by David Horner and published by Allen & Unwin in 2000.[10]

In 2009, a street in the Canberra suburb of Casey was named Shedden Street in his honour.[11]

References

1. Horner, David (2002). "Shedden, Sir Frederick Geoffrey (1893 – 1971)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. MUP. 16. Archived from the original on 10 November 2013.
2. CP 320: Sir Frederick Geoffrey SHEDDEN KCMG, OBE, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 8 February 2014
3. CA 19: Department of Defence [II] (Central Administration), National Archives of Australia, retrieved 8 February 2014
4. CA 37: Department of Defence Co-ordination, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 8 February 2014
5. CA 43: Department of Home Security, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 5 February 2014
6. CA 46: Department of Defence [III], Central Office, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 8 February 2014
7. It's an Honour: OBE, Australian Government
8. It's an Honour: CMG, Australian Government
9. It's an Honour: KCMG, Australian Government
10. Horner, David Murray (2000). Defence Supremo: Sir Frederick Shedden and the Making of Australian Defence Policy. Allen & Unwin. ISBN 978-1-86508-280-6. Retrieved 16 December 2020 – via Google Books.
11. Shedden Street, ACT Government Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, archived from the original on 27 February 2014