Alan Stretton

Major General Alan Bishop Stretton AO CBE (born on 30 September 1922) is a former senior Australian Army officer.

Stretton began his military career serving with the 2/9th Battalion after graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon during the Second World War. Following this he came to public prominence through his work in the cleanup efforts at Darwin in the aftermath of Cyclone Tracy. He was jointly named the 1975 Australian of the Year, with Sir John Cornforth.

He is a former Deputy Director of the Joint Intelligence Organization and member of the National Intelligence Committee.

In August 2004 he publicly criticised the Australian Government's policy of involvement with the 2003 Invasion of Iraq, in an open letter in which he stated:

The alleged connection between Saddam Hussein and al-Qa'ida is ludicrous. [1]

In 1946 and 1947 he played 16 games of Australian rules football in the Victoran Football League with St Kilda, after arriving at the club from Scotch College.

List of Honours

• MBE, Member of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Military Division 1955
• OBE, Officer of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Military Division 1965
• CBE, Commander of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire Military Division 1971
• AO, Officer of the Order of Australia Military Division 1975
• Centenary Medal, for services to Darwin Post Cyclone Tracy 2001

References

• Dickens, Gordon (2005). Never Late: The 2/9th Australian Infantry Battalion 1939–1945. Loftus, NSW: Australian Military History Publications. ISBN 1-876439-47-5. 

Awards
Preceded by Sir Bernard Heinze	Australian of the Year Award 1975 Served alongside: Sir John Cornforth	Succeeded by Sir Edward 'Weary' Dunlop