George Alan Vasey
29 March 1895 – 5 March 1945
Portrait of Major General George Vasey by A. M. E. Bale
Nickname	Bloody George
Place of birth	Malvern East, Victoria
Place of death	near Cairns, Queensland
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1913-1945
Rank	Major General
Commands	Australian 19th Infantry Brigade Australian 6th Division Australian 7th Division
Battles/wars	World War I: *Battle of Pozières *Battle of Messines *Passchendaele *Spring Offensive *Hundred Days Offensive World War II: *Battle of Greece *Battle of Crete *Kokoda Track campaign *Salamaua-Lae campaign *Finisterre Range campaign is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the day. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Malvern East is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... “Cairns” redirects here. ... The Australian Army is Australias military land force. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières, and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. ... The Battle of Messines was launched on June 7, 1917 by British General Herbert Plumers second army, which included the 16th (Irish) Division and the 36th (Ulster) Division, near the villages of Mesen (in French Messines, as it was on most maps at that time) and Wytschaete. ... For the village, see Passendale. ... The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during the First World War, which marked the deepest advance by either side since 1914. ... Combatants Belgium British Empire France United States of America German Empire Commanders King Albert I Ferdinand Foch Douglas Haig Philippe Petain John Pershing Erich Ludendorff Casualties 411,636 British 531,000 French 127,000+ American 785,733 The Hundred Days Offensive was the final offensive in World War I by... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Combatants Germany, Italy, Bulgaria Greece, United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand Commanders Wilhelm List, Maximilian von Weichs Alexander Papagos, Henry Maitland Wilson, Thomas Blamey Strength Germany: 680,000 men,[1] 1200 tanks, 700 aircraft, Italy: 529,000 men Greece: 350,000 men, British Commonwealth: 58,000 men Casualties Italy: 13,755... Combatants Greece United Kingdom New Zealand Australia Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength United Kingdom: 15,000 Greece: 11,000 Australia: 7,100 New Zealand: 6,700 Total: 40,000 (10,000 without fighting capability. ... Combatants  Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Thomas Blamey Sydney Rowell Edmund Herring Arthur Tubby Allen George Vasey Selwyn Porter Arnold Potts Hisaichi Terauchi Yosuke Yokoyama Tomitaro Horii â€  Strength 2,000 plus reinforcements 10,000 plus reinforcements Casualties 725 killed 1,055 wounded Hundreds sick with disease 6,500... Combatants Australia United States Empire of Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Hatazô Adachi Strength ~30,000 ~10,000 Casualties  ?  ? The Salamaua-Lae campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces sought to capture two major Japanese bases, one in... The Finisterre Range campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces assaulted Japanese positions in the Finisterre Range of New Guinea. ...
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar Distinguished Service Cross (United States) Military Cross (Greece)

George Alan Vasey, CB, CBE, DSO and Bar (29 March 1895–5 March 1945) was an Australian soldier. He was rose to the rank of Major General during World War II, before being killed in a plane crash. Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. ... Commanders Badge of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions, in order of seniority: Knight or Dame Grand Cross... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is the second highest military decoration of the United States Army, awarded for extreme gallantry and risk of life in actual combat with an armed enemy force. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions; in decreasing order of seniority, these are Knight Grand Cross or Dame Grand Cross (GBE) Knight Commander... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... is the 88th day of the year (89th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1895 (MDCCCXCV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the day. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Australian Army is Australias military land force. ... Insignia of a United States Air Force Major General German Generalmajor Insignia Major General is a military rank used in many countries. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Early life

Vasey, known as Alan to his family, was born in Malvern East, Victoria on 29 March 1895, the third of six children of George Brinsden Vasey, a solicitor, and his wife Alice Isabel, née McCutcheon.^[1] Malvern East is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ...

He was educated at Camberwell Grammar School and Wesley College, Melbourne, where his schoolmates included Robert Menzies and Edward James Milford. At Wesley, Vasey served in the Australian Army Cadets, in which he became a Second Lieutenant.^[1] Camberwell Grammar School is an independent, Anglican, day school for boys, located in Canterbury, a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... Wesley College is an independent, co-educational, day school, located at St Kilda Road, Glen Waverley, Elsternwick & Clunes, in the city of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, KT, AK, CH, FRS, QC (20 December 1894 – 15 May 1978), Australian politician, was the twelfth and longest-serving Prime Minister of Australia, serving eighteen and a half years. ... Australian Army Cadets Logo Australian Army Cadets Badge The Australian Army Cadets (AAC) is a youth organisation that is involved with progressive training of youths in military and adventurous activities. ... Second Lieutenant is the lowest commissioned rank in many armed forces. ...

In 1913, he entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Canberra, Australia. Of 33 members of his class, in which Vasey graduated tenth, nine died in the Great War. Six later became generals: Leslie Ellis Beavis, Frank Horton Berryman, William Bridgeford, John Austin Chapman, Edward James Milford and George Vasey. The war caused his class to be graduated early, in June 1915.^[1] Royal Military College The Royal Military College, Duntroon is Australias military academy where Staff Cadets train for commissioning into the Australian Army as a part of the Australian Defence Force There are two streams of Cadets: from the Australian Defence Force Academy, and by direct entry. ... For other meanings see Canberra (disambiguation). ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Frank Horton Berryman, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO, psc, pac (11 April 1894 – 28 May 1981) was an Australian Army officer during World War II. // Frank Horton Berryman was born in Geelong, Victoria on 11 April 1894, the son of William Lee Berryman and Annie Jane Horton. ...

World War I

Vasey was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Permanent Military Forces (regular army), and joined the First AIF. He was posted to the 2nd Division Artillery, and sailed for Egypt in December 1915. The 2nd Division moved to France in March 1916, where Vasey was promoted to Captain in August, and given command of the 13th Field Battery in November. Lieutenant is a military, naval, paramilitary, fire service or police officer rank. ... The First Australian Imperial Force (1st AIF) was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from August 15, 1914, following Britains declaration of war on Germany. ... The Australian 2nd Division was formed from reinforcements training in Egypt on July 10, 1915 as part of the Australian Imperial Force to fight in World War I. It fought at France where it was the last Australian division to see combat. ... A Captain in armies, air forces and marine forces, is a rank an army or air force rank with a NATO rank code of OF-2. ...

In February 1917 Vasey was posted to Brigadier General James Cannan's 11th Infantry Brigade as a trainee staff captain. This brigade, part of Maj. Gen. John Monash's 3rd Division, was involved in heavy fighting at Messines and Third Ypres. A Brigadier General, or one-star general, is the lowest rank of general officer in the United States and some other countries, ranking just above Colonel and just below Major General. ... Major General James Harold Cannan CB, DSO (29 August 1882 – 23 May 1976) was an Australian Army lieutenant colonel in World War I. He retired in 1946 as a major general. ... Sir John Monash General Sir John Monash, GCMG, KCB, VD (27 June 1865 – 8 October 1931), Australian military commander of the First World War, was born in Melbourne, Victoria, to parents of Prussian-Jewish origin (the family name was originally spelled Monasch). ... The Australian 3rd Division was a World War I infantry division formed in Australia in March 1916 and which began to arrive in England in July at which time General John Monash was appointed as the commander. ... The Battle of Messines was launched on June 7, 1917 by British General Herbert Plumers second army, which included the 16th (Irish) Division and the 36th (Ulster) Division, near the villages of Mesen (in French Messines, as it was on most maps at that time) and Wytschaete. ... For the village, see Passendale. ...

Vasey became Brigade Major of the 11th Infantry Brigade in August 1917, General Cannan having formed a high opinion of him. He was promoted to Major in September 1917. As such, he participated in the defence of Amiens, the Battle of Amiens in August 1918 and the attack on the Hindenburg Line in September. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order ^[2] and was twice mentioned in dispatches. In the British Army the Chief of Staff of a brigade or similar formation. ... Major is a military rank the use of which varies according to country. ... The first Somme battle of 1918 is also known as the Battle of Saint-Quentin or the Second Battle of the Somme[1]. It lasted from March 21–April 5 1918. ... Combatants United Kingdom, France, Canada, Australia Germany Commanders Henry Rawlinson Georg von der Marwitz Strength 4 Aus. ... Combatants United Kingdom, France, Australia, United States Germany Commanders Ferdinand Foch Georg von der Marwitz Strength 4 British armies 1 French army American Expeditionary Force Defensive forces and gun emplacements of the Hindenburg Line The Battle of the Hindenburg Line, which began September 18, 1918, was a key turning point... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ...

Between the wars

Vasey returned to Australia in September 1919 and returned to PMF, in which he held the substantive rank of Lieutenant and the honorary rank of Major, but he was not promoted to the substantive rank of Major until 1 March 1935. He became discouraged at his prospects with the Army and, studying at night, qualified as an accountant. He married Jessie Mary Halbert at St Matthew's Church of England, Glenroy, Victoria on 17 May 1921. Held a series of postings in Australia and India, where he served on the headquarters of the Rawalpindi District on the North-West Frontier where there were minor operations against local tribesmen, and attended the Staff College at Quetta, India, from 1928 to 1929. He was finally promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 12 May 1937, after near 20 years as a Major. He was only promoted to the substantial rank on 2 November 1939. Year 1919 (MCMXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1935 (MCMXXXV) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar). ... Accountant, or Qualified Accountant, or Professional Accountant, is a certified accountancy and financial expert in the jurisdiction of many countries. ... Glenroy is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. ... is the 137th day of the year (138th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Rawalpindi (Urdu: راولپنڈی) is a city in the Potwar Plateau near Pakistans capital city of Islamabad, in the province of Punjab. ... The Command and Staff College was established in 1974 at Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. ...   (Urdu: کوئٹہ) also spelled Kwatah city is the largest city and provincial capital and district of Baluchistan Province, Pakistan. ... Year 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1929 (MCMXXIX) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... In the U.S. Army, Air Force and Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a commissioned officer superior to a major and inferior to a colonel. ... is the 132nd day of the year (133rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1937 (MCMXXXVII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

World War II

Women friends and family on the wharf waving farewell to the departing troop transport ship RMS Strathallan carrying the Advance Party of the 6th Division AIF to service overseas. They include: Vasey's wife Jessie (second from the left), her sisters Thelma Halbert (left) and Doris Sleigh (second from right), and Vasey's sister Marjorie (right).

Shortly after the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, Lieutenant General Sir Thomas Blamey appointed Vasey to 6th Division as his Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General. The such, he was the senior logistics staff officer of the division. He embarked for Palestine with the advance party of the division in December 1939. He held this post during the Battle of Bardia. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. ... See also Field Marshal (Australia) Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE KCB CMG DSO ED (24 January 1884 – 27 May 1951) was an Australian General of World War II, and Australias first (and only) Field Marshal. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The Holy Land or Palestine Showing not only the Old Kingdoms of Judea and Israel but also the 12 Tribes Distinctly, and Confirming Even the Diversity of the Locations of their Ancient Positions and Doing So as the Holy Scriptures Indicate, a geographic map from the studio of Tobiae Conradi... Combatants Western Desert Force Italian Tenth Army Commanders Richard OConnor Rodolfo Graziani Pietro Maletti † Strength 50,000 soldiers 120 guns 275 tanks 100,000 soldiers 1,600 guns 600 light tanks Casualties 494 dead 1,225 wounded 3,000 dead 115,000 captured 400 tanks 1,292 guns Operation...

In March 1941, Vasey was promoted to temporary Brigadier, and took command of the 6th Division's 19th Infantry Brigade, which he led in Greece, suffering a defeat at the Battle of Vevi. The 19th Infantry Brigade was evacuated to Crete, where his brigade in the Battle of Crete. Vasey was commended for his work in Crete and was among the last to be evacuated from there, but some 3,000 Australians were taken prisoner. Although it was a bitter defeat, Vasey's performance was considered outstanding, and was awarded a Bar to his DSO,^[3], and later the Greek Military Cross. Brigadier (IPA pronunciation: ) is a military rank, the meaning of which has a considerable variation. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... Combatants Australia United Kingdom New Zealand Greece Germany Commanders Iven Mackay (operational); George Vasey (infantry) Fritz Witt Strength About 2,000 personnel, including some artillery support About 1,500 personnel, including artillery support and some tanks (see below) Casualties Australian: about 25 dead N.Z.: about 12 dead; U.K... Combatants Greece United Kingdom New Zealand Australia Germany Italy Commanders Bernard Freyberg Kurt Student Strength United Kingdom: 15,000 Greece: 11,000 Australia: 7,100 New Zealand: 6,700 Total: 40,000 (10,000 without fighting capability. ... For other uses, see Crete (disambiguation). ...

Vasey returned to Australia in December 1941 to become chief of staff of Home Forces, with the rank of Major General, which became substantive on 1 September 1942. and served in a staff position in Australia for a short time. His new command had the role of training and organizing the Army in Australia, a task which became urgent with the entry of Japan into the war. In March 1942, Vasey, along with Major General Edmund Herring and Brigadier Clive Steele, approached Army Minister Frank Forde with a proposal that all officers over the age of 50 be immediately retired and General Horace Robertson appointed Commander in Chief. The "revolt of the generals" collapsed with the news that Blamey was returning from the Middle East to become Commander in Chief. Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED (2 September 1892 – 5 January 1982) was an Australian Army officer during World War II, was a Lieutenant governor of Victoria, and was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State... Francis Michael Forde (18 July 1890 – 28 January 1983) was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. ... Lieutenant General Sir Horace Robertson was an officer in the Australian Army and at one time Australias most decorated soldier. ...

In the reorganization that followed his return, Blamey appointed Vasey as Deputy Chief of the General Staff (DCGS) at Advanced Land Headquarters. The two men worked closely, with Vasey conveying Blamey's orders to commanders in the field. In September 1942, Blamey decided to send the 6th Division to Papua to help stem the Japanese advance. Blamey visited Lieutenant General Sidney Rowell, commander of I Corps, in Port Moresby and asked him who he would prefer to command the division. Rowell selected Vasey, so Vasey became commander of the 6th Division, and was replaced as DCGS by Maj. Gen. Frank Berryman. Blamey relieved first Rowell, replacing him with Herring, and then Maj. Gen. Arthur "Tubby" Allen of the 7th Division, which was fighting along the Kokoda Trail. On 27 October, Vasey flew up to Myola to relieve Allen. The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... The Territory of Papua was an Australian possession comprising the southeastern quarter of the island of New Guinea, existing from roughly 1902 to 1949. ... I Corps of the Australian Army was the main frontline corps of the army during World War II. Various Australian and other Allied divisions came under its control at various times. ... Port Moresby town Port Moresby, (), population 255,000 (2000), is the capital of Papua New Guinea. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... Frank Horton Berryman, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO, psc, pac (11 April 1894 – 28 May 1981) was an Australian Army officer during World War II. // Frank Horton Berryman was born in Geelong, Victoria on 11 April 1894, the son of William Lee Berryman and Annie Jane Horton. ... Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED (2 September 1892 – 5 January 1982) was an Australian Army officer during World War II, was a Lieutenant governor of Victoria, and was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State... Hammana, Lebanon. ... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... Combatants  Australia Empire of Japan Commanders Douglas MacArthur Thomas Blamey Sydney Rowell Edmund Herring Arthur Tubby Allen George Vasey Selwyn Porter Arnold Potts Hisaichi Terauchi Yosuke Yokoyama Tomitaro Horii â€  Strength 2,000 plus reinforcements 10,000 plus reinforcements Casualties 725 killed 1,055 wounded Hundreds sick with disease 6,500... Arthur Allen may refer to: Arthur Cecil Allen (1887–1982), British politician Arthur Samuel Allen (1894–1959), Australian general Category: ...

Under Vasey's command, the 7th Division recaptured Kokoda on 2 November. It pushed on towards the north coast of Papua, only to be stopped by the Japanese short of their ultimate objective. The division was forced to fight a bloody battle around Buna, and, along with U.S. troops under Lieutenant General Robert L. Eichelberger, ultimately defeated the Japanese and captured Gona. The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... Combatants Australia, United States Japan Commanders George Vasey (Australia); Edwin F. Harding/ Robert L. Eichelberger (United States) Ken Yamagata Strength 20,000+ 7,400+ Casualties 3,500 (not counting tropical diseases); 1,300 Australian and 1,000 US personnel killed in action. ... Robert Lawrence Eichelberger (9 March 1886 – 26 September 1961) was a general in the United States Army, who commanded the US Eighth Army in the Pacific during World War II. Eichelberger was born at Urbana, Ohio, on 9 March 1886. ...

After the campaign, the 7th Division returned to Australia. The men went on leave before reassembling for training on the Atherton Tableland. By July 1943, they were on their way back to Port Moresby. Vasey flew up to work out arrangements with Herring and the air commander in New Guinea, Major General Ennis Clement Whitehead of the US Fifth Air Force. The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... The Mount Hypipamee Crater on the Atherton Tablelands. ... Port Moresby town Port Moresby, (), population 255,000 (2000), is the capital of Papua New Guinea. ... Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED (2 September 1892 – 5 January 1982) was an Australian Army officer during World War II, was a Lieutenant governor of Victoria, and was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State... The Fifth Air Force (5AF), with headquarters currently located at Yokota Air Base,Japan, is one of very few numbered air forces of the United States Air Force never to have been based in the United States itself. ...

The new campaign opened in spectacular fashion on 5 September 1943 with a parachute drop the US 503rd Parachute Infantry in broad daylight to seize the airstrip at Nadzab in the Markham Valley. They were soon reinforced by Australian and Papuan troops that had advanced overland from Wau, and then by the 7th Division's 25th Infantry Brigade, which flew in by air. The 25th Infantry Brigade advanced down the Markham Valley and entered Lae on 16 September. The division then advanced up the Markham Valley and down the Ramu Valley. A series of brilliant operations followed. First, commandos of the 2/6th Independent Company seized Kaiapit in a surprise attack on 19 September. Vasey flew there on 21 September in a Piper Cub, followed by his 21st Infantry Brigade, under Brigadier Ivan Noel Dougherty. The 21st Infantry Brigade advanced on Gusap and then Dumpu, where Vasey established his headquarters on 10 October. Finally, it pushed on into the Finisterre Range, where it was halted by logistical difficulties. In the Finisterre Range campaign, the 7th Division captured Shaggy Ridge and advanced across the mountains towards Madang. The 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR) is an airborne unit in the United States military. ... I spent two years in New Guinea, as a volunteer worker for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea. ... Wau is a town in Papua New Guinea, in the province of Morobe. ... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... I spent two years in New Guinea, as a volunteer worker for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea. ... Lae is the second largest city of Papua New Guinea with a population of approx 120,000. ... I spent two years in New Guinea, as a volunteer worker for the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea. ... A Piper J-3 Cub at Embrun, Ontario, August 2004 The Piper J-3 ‘Cub’ was a small, light, and simple aircraft built between 1938 and 1947. ... The Finisterre Range campaign was a series of actions in the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Australian and United States forces assaulted Japanese positions in the Finisterre Range of New Guinea. ... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ... Shaggy Ridge is a 6. ... Madang Lighthouse Madang (old German name: Friedrich-Wilhelmshafen) is the capital of Madang Province and is a town with a population of 27,420 (in 2005) on the north coast of Papua New Guinea. ...

Despite his achievements, Vasey was twice passed over for promotion. In November 1943, the announcement of the appointment of Lt Gen. Iven Mackay as High Commissioner to India, and the subsequent elevation of Lt Gen. Leslie Morshead to command New Guinea Force and Second Army, created a vacancy at II Corps, which was filled by Lt Gen. Frank Berryman. Then in February 1944, the appointment of Lt Gen. Sir Edmund Herring as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, led to a vacancy at I Corps, for which General Blamey nominated both Vasey and Maj. Gen. Stanley Savige, but recommended the latter. Army Minister Frank Forde queried Blamey's recommendation, which was very unusual, and asked who was the senior officer. On being informed that Savige was senior to Vasey — although not as senior as Arthur "Tubby" Allen or James Cannan— he dropped his objection. General Douglas MacArthur considered Vasey's supersession "outrageous". Iven Gifford Mackay was born on 7 April 1882 at Grafton, New South Wales, and was educated at Newington College. ... High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment. ... Lieutenant General Sir Leslie James Morshead, KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED (September 18, 1889 – September 26, 1959) was an Australian soldier with a distinguished career in both world wars. ... The Australian II Corps was an Australian Army corps. ... Frank Horton Berryman, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO, psc, pac (11 April 1894 – 28 May 1981) was an Australian Army officer during World War II. // Frank Horton Berryman was born in Geelong, Victoria on 11 April 1894, the son of William Lee Berryman and Annie Jane Horton. ... Edmund Francis Herring, KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, ED (2 September 1892 – 5 January 1982) was an Australian Army officer during World War II, was a Lieutenant governor of Victoria, and was a Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, which is the highest ranking court in the Australian State... The Supreme Court of Victoria is the superior court for the State of Victoria, Australia. ... I Corps of the Australian Army was the main frontline corps of the army during World War II. Various Australian and other Allied divisions came under its control at various times. ... Lieutenant General Sir Stanley George Savige KBE, CB, DSO, MC (June 26, 1890 – May 15, 1954), was a decorated soldier of the Australian Imperial Force in World War I, and later a general in the Australian Army during World War II. Sir Stanley Savige was instrumental in the establishment of... Francis Michael Forde (18 July 1890 – 28 January 1983) was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. ... Hammana, Lebanon. ... Major General James Harold Cannan CB, DSO (29 August 1882 – 23 May 1976) was an Australian Army lieutenant colonel in World War I. He retired in 1946 as a major general. ... This article is about the American general; for the municipality in the Philippines, see General MacArthur, Eastern Samar. ...

Blamey was concerned about Vasey's health. Vasey was drinking heavily, and was hospitalized in New Guinea in February 1944 with a skin condition, and in Australia in March 1944 with a respiratory tract infection. In June 1944, he became seriously ill with malaria and acute Peripheral neuropathy, and for a time was not expected to live. 7th Division soldiers in the hospital constantly asked about his progress. The men called him 'Bloody George', not after his casualties, but after his favourite adjective, and Vasey's personable style of command attracted immense loyalty from his men. Malaria is a vector-borne infectious disease caused by protozoan parasites. ... Peripheral neuropathy is the term for damage to nerves of the peripheral nervous system, which may be caused either by diseases of the nerve or from the side-effects of systemic illness. ... The 7th Division of the Australian Army was formed to serve in World War II, as part of the Second Australian Imperial Force. ...

Vasey slowly recovered and in February 1945, Frank Forde pressed for Vasey to be given another active command. Blamey appointed him to command the 6th Division, then in action in the Aitape-Wewak campaign. Vasey flew north to take up his new command, but on 5 March 1945 the Lockheed Hudson aircraft he was travelling in crashed into the sea off Cairns, killing all on board. Francis Michael Forde (18 July 1890 – 28 January 1983) was an Australian politician and the 15th Prime Minister of Australia. ... The most well-known 6th Division in the Australian Army was a unit in the Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF) during World War II. (The 6th Division name was previously used for a short-lived World War I unit, formed from First Australian Imperial Force troops in England, in... Combatants Australia United States Empire of Japan Commanders  ?  ? Strength  ?  ? Casualties  ?  ? The Aitape-Wewak campaign took place in northern New Guinea between November 1944 and August 1945. ... Lockheed Hudson Mk V The Lockheed Hudson was a light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of World War II. The Hudson was the first significant aircraft construction contract for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation—the initial RAF order for 200... Cairns is a regional city located in far north Queensland, Australia. ...

Despite (Meterlogical Officer) Flying-Officer Eric Craig's warnings about the situation, and that conditions were deteriorating, the RAAF Hudson took off from Townsville on the afternoon of the fateful day.

The cause of the crash was a cyclone which, at the time, was ravaging the Queensland coast. The area around Cairns and Hinchinbrook Island was notorious for its shocking flying conditions in bad weather. Many aircraft have come to grief there.

The RAAF Hudson,A16-118 (VMZI-FM),known for it's unpredictable low speed stall characteristics, crashed into the sea about 400 yards out from Machan's Beach, just north of the mouth of the Barron River, 2km short of the Cairns Airport on the 5th of March 1945. Major General George Alan Vasey, C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., was tragically killed along with other Australian service personnel as follows:-

Maj/Gen R.M. Downes AIF Medical Corps

Colonel R.H. Russell AIF Medical Corps

Lieut/Col G.A. Bertram AIF

Lieut W. Riggall AIF PA to Gen. Vasey

A/Cpl E.L. James AIF Batman to Gen Vasey

F/Lt J.W. Newell RAAF

F/Off D.J. Bassett RAAF

F/Off G. Thomson RAAF

W/Off B.S. Frieze RAAF

LAC John Dudley Moore RAAF

The bodies of Russell, Riggall, Bassett and Moore were not found at the time of the crash. Their names are commemorated on the Sydney War Cemetery Memorial. The bodies recovered were buried in the Cairns War Cemetery.

The Mulgrave Shire Council (Cairns) named the esplanade on the beach at Trinity Beach "Vasey Esplanade" in honour of one of Australia's most distinguished soldiers. They also erected a plaque in a brick memorial wall to commemorate the loss of the above 11 service personnel in this tragic crash on 5 March 1945.

 Vasey became the fourth most senior Australian officer to die in World War II, after General Sir Cyril Brudenell White, Lt Gen. Henry Douglas Wynter, and Maj. Gen. Rupert Downes (who died in the same plane crash as Vasey). He was buried with full military honours in Cairns cemetery. His papers are in the National Library of Australia. His decorations are in the Australian War Memorial. 

Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... General Sir Cyril Brudenell White, KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO (23 September 1876 – 13 August 1940), Australian soldier, was Chief of the General Staff of the Australian Army from 1920 to 1923 and again from March to August 1940, when he was killed in the Canberra air disaster, 1940. ... Rupert Major Downes (10 February 1885-5 March 1945) was an Australian soldier, general, physician and historian in the first half of the 20th century. ... Cairns is a regional city located in far north Queensland, Australia. ... National Library of Australia National Library of Australia as viewed from Lake Burley Griffin The National Library of Australia is located in Canberra, Australia. ... The Australian War Memorial is Australias national memorial to the members of all its armed forces and supporting organizations who have died in the wars of the Commonwealth of Australia. ...

References

Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... This article is about the Australian city; the name may also refer to City of Melbourne or Melbourne city centre. ... Melbourne University Publishing (MUP) is the book publishing arm of the University of Melbourne (Australia). ...

External links

• Vasey Biography at the Australian War Memorial
• Vasey Biography at the Australian Dictionary of Biography

http://home.brisnet.org.au/~dunn/5mar45.htm Crash Data Source