Third child of Father George Brinsden Vasey and mother Alice Isabel McCutcheon. His father has relatively little success as a lawyer and as a solicitor, edited the Argus Law Reports (Argus Law Reports). Alan, as he was known in his family, was educated at Wesley College. In March 1913 he joined the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Following the outbreak of the First World War, Vasey's promotion graduated earlier and he was appointed lieutenant in the permanent military forces on June 29, 1915. He joined the Australian imperial forces the following month, arrived in France in March 1916 , He held various positions in the 2nd division of artillery and took part in the fighting in the campaign of the Somme. Promoted captain in August, he became commander of the 13th battery in November.
In February 1917, Vasey was appointed as the beginning captain of the General Staff of the 11th Infantry Brigade Headquarters. The brigade took part in the battle of Messines (June) and Ypres (October) in Belgium. Vasey, who was made a brigade commander, developed a strong friendship with his commanding officer, Brigadier General James Cannan, who described him as "assiduous, meticulous, alert, convincing and courageous - still somewhat reserved and modest." Except for a short period, Vasey held this post until the end of the war, taking part in the defense of Amiens (March 1918), the Allied offensive (August) and the attack on the Hindenburg line ( September October). He was decorated with the Order of Distinguished Service and was twice mentioned in the despatches. Vasey returned to Australia in 1919. When his post at the AIF ended in Melbourne on 6 November, he returned to the PMF as a lieutenant and an honorary major. He was not promoted to major until March 1, 1935. Meanwhile, he endured a series of discouraging posts as adjutant, quartermaster and commander of artillery brigade and infantry units in the militia. The one who was so confident during the last fighting on the western front fell back on himself. Studying at night, he qualified as an accountant. He married Jessie Mary Albert at St. Matthew's Church in Glenroy, Melbourne, Melbourne, May 17, 1921. He took care of the staff of the University of Quetta in India in 1928-1929. He returned to Australia in 1930, where he accepted several militia positions, but decided to leave the army. In 1934, however, he returned to India as commander of the 8th Indian Brigade. In 1936 he served at the Rawalpindi district headquarters on the northwest boundary where there were minor operations against local tribes.
In April 1937, he joined the army headquarters in Melbourne and in 1938 he became general officer of the general staff, at 1st rank (formation). He was promoted substantively Lieutenant-Colonel on November 2, 1939. Apart from the two years in Quetta, i spent 20 years as a brigade commander or at a similar post while citizen-officers who joined the militia after the First War Had reached the rank of lieutenant-colonel in the mid-1930s.
Shortly after World War II began, Lieutenant-General Sir Thomas Blamey, commander of the 6th AIF, selected Vasey as his adjutant and general quartermaster. On December 15, 1936, the advanced section of the 6th Division, led by Colonel Vasey, embarked for Palestine. He was still the most senior officer of the division's staff during the capture of Bardia in January 1941, but was at the head of the operational staff when the division advanced on Benghazi. Temporarily promoted to Brigadier in March, he took command of the 19th Brigade.
In fierce fighting in April 1941, Vasey showed exceptional abilities as a leader. His brigade took the first shock of the German assault and carried out decisive rearguard actions in Veti, near the Greek-Yugoslav border. Later, his brigade held the vital pass of Brallos. The big Vasey, lean body, with his head with straight and black hair with the stripe in the middle, always state in the advanced areas of the fighting. He spoke to his soldiers in a colorful language that quickly became legendary, but never offended anyone. As commander of the Australian forces in Crete in May 1941, he faced a series of desperate situations and was the last to be evacuated. He was rewarded with a bar at the Distinguished Service Order (1941) and the Greek Military Cross (1944).
Returning to Australia in December 1941, Vasey was promoted to Major General, initially as Chief of Staff of the country's forces, and after Blamey had become Commander-in-Chief of the Military Forces, he was Deputy Head of State -all general. In September 1942, he was sent Port Moresby to command the 6th Division. The following month, he took the 7th Division, then fighting north along the Kokoda runway.
The bulk of the soldiers entered Kokoda on 2 November. He energetically sent troops through the jungle, and imprisoned the Japanese at Gorari. Between mid-November and mid-January 1943, Vasey's division was fighting at the sinister battle of Sanananda and Gona north of the Papua coast. American General Robert Eichelberger noticed that even after many weeks in the jungle, Vasey "always looked like a commander." He received the Order of Distinguished Service in 1944.
For much of 1943, Vasey formed the 7th Division on the Atherton plateau, Queensland, before taking the lead in the highly successful Lae-Nadzab campaign in New Guinea. On September 5th, the next day, the 9th Division landed by sea near Lae, elements of the 7th Division were parachuted to Nadzab. The 25th Brigade was advancing rapidly and took Lae on 16 September. Often near the front line, Vasey had rather tough relations with his soldiers. "My companions are in good shape," he wrote, "I have never seen a man's body as physically and mentally adapted." His men had nicknamed him "George the Bloody".
Vasey moved quickly. Reversing his axis, he sent his troops to the top of the Markham valley and into the Ramu valley. In an audacious attack, the 2nd and 16th Independent Company took Kaiapit while Vasey reinforced them by flying in the 21st Brigade. The 2nd and 16th battalions assaulted Shaggy Ridge on December 27, and the division continued the offensive in the direction of Madang. Major W. Russell recalled a platoon to escort Vasey to Shaggy Ridge. They washed and tried to polish their boots and equipment as if it were for a military parade. General Vasey had a very great sense of camaraderie with his men. In February 1944, Vasey was evacuated sick, shortly before his division had been relieved by the 11th. He was twice mentioned in the despatches.
Vasey was sent home to recover, and was disappointed to see that Blamey preferred Major-General Stanley Savige to command the body. In June 1944, he was struck by the polyneuritis and was forced to abandon his command. He was determined to resume a battle for another battle, although it took months and months to regain his strength. Blamey feared for the health of Vasey, but the immense popularity and intervention of Frank Forde, Minister of the Army, pleaded Vasey's cause. There were indications that the government wanted him to replace Blamey. At the beginning of 1945, the 6th Division was given to it, which was fighting around Wewak in New Guinea. In order to command, he flew north, but on March 5, 1945, the Hudson airplane in which he was traveling crashed near the coast of Cairns killing everyone on board. Leaving his wife and two sons, he was buried with all military honors in the Cairns cemetery.
Blamey described Vasey as "a very good friend, brave, full of energy, inventive, destined by his training and ability to be at the top of his profession." Prime Minister John Curtin said Vasey was "a brilliant soldier" and that Australia owes him "great pride." Prime Minister John Curtin said Vasey was a "brilliant soldier" and that Australia Must be "very grateful". General Douglas MacArthur saw him as "a superior commander of division." Major Russell wrote: "No soldier or general was so loved and idolized by his men. I think most heroic dreams have been associated with some special hopes and sacrifices for him. "
Another anonymous senior officer issued the following judgments on him:
He could be merciless and kind, tolerate human weaknesses, intolerant of conspiracy, laziness and inefficiency. He hated the importance and made it fall quickly. He could get rid of the books when the occasion demanded, and he could produce and execute the books in order to use them for his purposes. Like many hard characters, Vasey was deeply aware of himself, and that was one of his most adorable features.
It was a "just estimate" with the capability as commander to "never let his feelings take over logic." In military records, his head always followed what his heart said.
Shortly before his last flight, he had asked his wife to "care for widows of war because the government would not do it." Alice Bale's Vasey portrait is held by the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
About Unknown
This is a short description in the author block about the author. You edit it by entering text in the "Biographical Info" field in the user admin panel.
0 commentaires :
Post a Comment