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James Harrison (Australian governor)

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James Harrison
26th Governor of South Australia
In office
4 December 1968 – 16 September 1971
MonarchElizabeth II
PremierSteele Hall (1968–70)
Don Dunstan (1970–71)
Preceded bySir Edric Bastyan
Succeeded bySir Mark Oliphant
Personal details
Born(1912-05-25)25 May 1912[1]
Camperdown, Victoria
Died16 September 1971(1971-09-16) (aged 59)
NationalityAustralian
Alma materRoyal Military College, Duntroon
Military service
AllegianceAustralia
Branch/serviceAustralian Army
Years of service1930–1968
RankMajor General
CommandsEastern Command (1966–68)
Western Command (1957–60)
Officer Cadet School, Portsea (1951–54)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Mentioned in Despatches

Major General Sir James William Harrison KCMG, CB, CBE (25 May 1912 – 16 September 1971) was an Australian Army officer and the first Australian-born Governor of South Australia.

Biography

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James Harrison was born at Camperdown, Victoria, the second child of Victorian-born parents James Samuel Harrison, farmer, and his wife Mary Eleanor, née Harlock. He was educated at Geelong College, Melbourne High School and the Royal Military College, Duntroon, where he graduated in 1932 as an artillery specialist.

He had a varied military career including as the first Commandant of the Officer Cadet School, Portsea and culminating in becoming a member of the Military Board, as quartermaster-general (1962–63) and adjutant-general (1963–66), and General Officer Commanding (GOC) of Eastern Command, Sydney (from 1966).

He was sworn in as Governor of South Australia on 4 December 1968. His term was unremarkable. Don Dunstan later concluded: "Sir James fulfilled his role as Governor quietly and in the traditional way, and left little mark on the State".

In 1969 and 1970, both he and his wife were hospitalised, in his case with a coronary occlusion. In 1971, he and his wife set off on an overseas holiday.

Sir James died suddenly on 16 September 1971 while flying to Honolulu. He was survived by his wife and two sons, and he was cremated. His wife, born Patricia Lennox, died in 2024.[2]

Honours

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He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1953 and promoted to Commander (CBE) in 1958.

He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in January 1968, and knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in October 1968.

References

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  1. ^ From navy brass to straight-talking bloke, The Advertiser, 5 May 2007.
  2. ^ "Harrison". Register. The Times. No. 74346. London. 2 March 2024. col 1, p. 73.
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Government offices
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Sir Edric M. Bastyan
Governor of South Australia
1968–1971
Succeeded by