Peter Cosgrove

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Peter John Cosgrove
Peter Cosgrove, immediate past Chief of the Defence Force (Australia) at the 2008 National Anzac Day service, Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
Nickname(s)Cos
AllegianceAustralia Australia
Service/branchAustralian Army
Years of service1965 – 2005
RankGeneral
Commands heldChief of the Defence Force
Chief of Army
INTERFET
Joint Deployable Force
Land Command
1st Infantry Division
School of Infantry
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Battles/warsVietnam War
International Force for East Timor
AwardsCompanion of the Order of Australia
Military Cross
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit
Commander of the United States Legion of Merit.
Other workLeader of the Cyclone Larry Task Force

General Peter John Cosgrove AC, MC (born 28 July 1947) is a retired Australian Army officer. He was the Chief of the Defence Force from 3 July 2002 to 3 July 2005, when he retired from active service. He has been appointed as the next Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University,[1] he will take up his post in November 2010.

Military service

Cosgrove was educated at Waverley College, then followed his father, a Warrant Officer, into the Australian Army by attending the Royal Military College, Duntroon in 1965. Early in his career, Cosgrove fought in Vietnam with the 9th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, where he served with great distinction, receiving the Military Cross in 1971.[2] In 1980 he was awarded the National Medal.[3] In the mid-1980s he commanded the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.[4]

Cosgrove came to national fame in 1999 when, as a Major General, he led the international forces (INTERFET) in a peacekeeping mission to East Timor. The mission's success made Cosgrove one of Australia's most respected and popular military leaders.[5] He was promoted in 2000 to Lieutenant General as Chief of the Army (CA) and in 2002 to General as Chief of the Defence Force (CDF).[6]

In 2004, then Foreign Minister Alexander Downer queried the judgement of Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty.[7] Following a joint interview with then Defence Minister Robert Hill, Cosgrove was accused of "playing politics" when he said that, on this occasion, he disagreed with Keelty's point of view. However, Cosgrove expressed strong support for the Police Commissioner in his memoir published in 2006.[8] On 3 July 2005, Cosgrove's three year appointment as Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) was completed, and he was succeeded by then-Chief of Air Force (CAF) Air Marshal Angus Houston.

Peter Cosgrove in attendance at the 2008 Anzac Day National Service at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra (second from right)

There was some speculation that after retirement he would take up the post of Governor-General of Australia, or run for parliament. He has firmly ruled out all such possibilities.[9] He consequently wrote an autobiography, My Story,[8] which was a bestseller in Australia.

Cyclone Larry Taskforce

On 23 March 2006, Cosgrove was selected to lead the Queensland Government taskforce of rebuilding communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 tropical cyclone that devastated the Innisfail region of northern Queensland.[10]

"In recognition of the important contribution General Cosgrove made to the community of North Queensland following Cyclone Larry", on 11 October 2008, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced that the new residential suburb in the Bohle Plains area of Townsville would be named Cosgrove.[11][12][13]

Personal

Peter Cosgrove is on the board of Australia's main airline Qantas and is on numerous other boards as Chairman or member.

He is married with three adult sons and lives in Sydney.

See also

Media related to Peter Cosgrove at Wikimedia Commons

References

  1. ^ General Peter Cosgrove appointed Chancellor of ACU - 25 May 2010
  2. ^ It's an honour entry - Military Cross - 12 February 1971 Citation: Infantry - 9 RAR - Vietnam
  3. ^ It's an honour entry - National Medal - 16 October 1980
  4. ^ It's an honour entry - Member of the Order of Australia - 26 January 1985 Citation: In recognition of service as Commanding Officer 1st Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment
  5. ^ It's an honour entry - Companion of the Order of Australia - 25 March 2000 Citation: For eminent service to the Australian Defence Force as the Commander of the International Force East Timor.
  6. ^ It's an honour entry - Centenary Medal - 1 January 2001 Citation: For service to Australian society as Chief of the Defence Force
  7. ^ Honest copper emerges victor, The Age, 2004-03-18. During a "doorstop" interview, Downer said Mr Keelty was "expressing a view which reflects a lot of the propaganda we're getting from al-Qaeda".
  8. ^ a b My Story (HarperCollins Publishers Australia, October 2006, ISBN 0732283841)
  9. ^ ACP Magazines have shut down The Bulletin website; new reference needed.
  10. ^ General Cosgrove to lead Cyclone Larry taskforce, Premier of Queensland press release, 2006-03-23.
  11. ^ Townsville suburb named in honour of General Cosgrove, ABC News, 11 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  12. ^ Townsville "Cosgrove" storm, Townsville Bulletin, 11 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  13. ^ Townsville suburb named after Cosgrove, Australian Associated Press Pty Limited (AAP), appearing in the Sydney Morning Herald, 11 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-11.

External links

Copyright pictures of Peter Cosgrove:

Awards

Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) 25 March 2000[1]
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 26 January 1985[2]
Military Cross (MC) 12 February 1971 for gallantry in Vietnam.[3]
Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975
Vietnam Medal
Australian Active Service Medal
International Force East Timor Medal (INTERFET)
Australian Service Medal 1945-1975
Centenary Medal 1 January 2001[4]
Defence Force Service Medal with Federation Star (40–44 years service)
National Medal 16 October 1980[5]
Australian Defence Medal
Vietnam Campaign Medal (Republic of Vietnam)
Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM)
Commander of the United States Legion of Merit
Order of National Security Merit (Tong-il Medal) (South Korea) within the Order of National Security Merit
Darjah Utama Bakti Cemerlang (Tentera) (Singapore) Distinguished Service Order (Military)
7 September 2004[6]
Other awards not worn on ADF uniform
Officer of the Légion d'honneur (France)
Grand Cross of the Order of Prince Henry (Ordem do Infante Dom Henrique) (Portugal) 28 May 2002[7]
Australian of the Year 2001[8]
  1. ^ AC - see above
  2. ^ AM - see above
  3. ^ MC - see above
  4. ^ CM - see above
  5. ^ NM - see above
  6. ^ MINDEF Singapore, President Nathan Confers Top Military Award on Chief of the Australian Defence Force, 7 September 2004, retrieved 19 April 2008.
  7. ^ Annual Portuguese Honorary Orders, Foreign citizens 1910- 2006, 2006, retrieved 19 April 2008, p111. Template:Pt icon
  8. ^ 2001 Australian of the Year Awards
Military offices
Preceded by
Lieutenant General Frank Hickling
 Chief of Army
2000 – 2002 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General Peter Leahy
Preceded by
Admiral Chris Barrie
 Chief of Defence Force
2002 – 2005 		Succeeded by
Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston
Awards
Preceded by Australian of the Year Award
2001 		Succeeded by
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