Frank Gill (politician)
Frank Gill | |
|---|---|
| 5th Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 1981–1982 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor‑General | Sir David Beattie |
| Preceded by | Merwyn Norrish |
| Succeeded by | Hon. Sir Lancelot Adams-Scheider |
| 24th Minister of Health | |
| In office 12 December 1975 – 13 December 1978 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon |
| Preceded by | Tom McGuigan |
| Succeeded by | George Gair |
| Minister of Immigration | |
| In office 12 December 1975 – 13 December 1978 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon |
| Preceded by | Fraser Colman |
| Succeeded by | Jim Bolger |
| 27th Minister of Defence | |
| In office 13 December 1978 – 21 August 1980 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon |
| Preceded by | Allan McCready |
| Succeeded by | David Thomson |
| Minister of Police | |
| In office 13 December 1978 – 21 August 1980 | |
| Prime Minister | Robert Muldoon |
| Preceded by | Allan McCready |
| Succeeded by | Ben Couch |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for Waitemata | |
| In office 1969–1971 | |
| Preceded by | Norman King |
| Succeeded by | Michael Bassett |
| Member of the New Zealand Parliament for East Coast Bays | |
| In office 1972–1980 | |
| Succeeded by | Gary Knapp |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 January 1917 Wellington, New Zealand |
| Died | 1 March 1982 (aged 65) Auckland, New Zealand |
| Political party | National |
| Relations | Mark Mitchell (grandson) |
Thomas Francis "Frank" Gill CBE DSO (31 January 1917 – 1 March 1982) was a New Zealand air force pilot and politician. He flew with the Royal Air Force throughout World War II and afterwards served with the Royal New Zealand Air Force until 1969, rising to the rank of Air Commodore. He entered Parliament as a National Party MP in 1969 and served as a cabinet minister from 1975 to 1980, when he resigned to become New Zealand's ambassador to the United States.
Early life
Born in Wellington in 1917, Gill was educated at St. Patrick's College, Wellington.[1]
Air force service
Gill joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) in 1937 and transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1939.[1] He flew Fairey Battles during the Battle of FranceHurricanes in the Battle of Britain and later flew on night bombing raids.[2] He was a flying officer with No. 75 Squadron RAF on 23 September 1941 when he was appointed a Distinguished Service Order.[3]
He attended RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park and the Joint Services Staff College at Latimer House, and returned to the RNZAF following the war. He served as New Zealand's armed forces attaché in Washington, D.C. from 1957 to 1959 and senior air staff officer of the Commonwealth air forces in Singpore from 1960 to 1962. He was appointed deputy Chief of Air Staff with the rank of Air Commodore in 1965 and served as Air Officer Commanding Operations Group at Whenuapai from 1965 to 1969.[1]
In the 1961 New Year Honours Gill was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.[4]
Member of Parliament
| Years | Term | Electorate | Party | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1969–1972 | 36th | Waitemata | National | ||
| 1972–1975 | 37th | East Coast Bays | National | ||
| 1975–1978 | 38th | East Coast Bays | National | ||
| 1978–1980 | 39th | East Coast Bays | National | ||
He represented the Waitemata electorate in Parliament from 1969 to 1972, and then the East Coast Bays electorate in Parliament from 1972 to 1980, when he resigned to take up the post of New Zealand ambassador to the United States.[5]
He was a Cabinet Minister, and held the positions of Minister of Health (1975–1978),[6][7] Minister of Immigration (1975–1978),[6][7] Minister of Defence (1978–21 August 1980)[8][9] and Minister of Police (1978–1980)[8][9] in the Third National Government.[10]
On 25 August 1980 Gill was granted the right to retain the title The Honourable on his retirement as a member of the Executive Council of New Zealand.[11]
Ambassador to Washington and death
He was New Zealand's Ambassador to the United States from 1981 until his death.[12] Gill was hospitalized at Georgetown University Hospital on 16 February 1982 and returned to New Zealand on a stretcher[2] shortly before his death in Auckland on 1 March 1982. His ashes were buried in the RSA section at North Shore Memorial Park.
His grandson, Mark Mitchell, was elected to parliament in 2011.[13]
Notes
- ^ a b c "About New Zealand: The Honourable Frank Gill". www.historyforsale.com/. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ a b "Frank Gill, New Zealand ambassador". Lakeland Ledger. 1 March 1982. p. 11. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
- ^ "No. 35283". The London Gazette. 23 September 1941. p. 5522.
- ^ "No. 42233". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 December 1960. p. 8927.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 199.
- ^ a b "Ministers Appointed" (12 December 1975) 111 The New Zealand Gazette 2980.
- ^ a b "Resignation of Ministers" (13 December 1978) 107 The New Zealand Gazette 3405.
- ^ a b "Ministers Appointed" (13 December 1978) 107 The New Zealand Gazette 3405 at 3406.
- ^ a b "Resignation of Minister" (22 August 1980) 97 The New Zealand Gazette 2505.
- ^ Wilson 1985, p. 95.
- ^ "Retention of the Title 'The Honourable'" (4 September 1980) 105 The New Zealand Gazette 2609 at 2616.
- ^ The New Zealand Almanac by Max Lambert and Ron Palenski, (1982, Moa Press)
- ^ Alexander, Miriyana (27 March 2011). "In the line of duty". The Sunday Star-Times. Retrieved 11 February 2013.
References
- 1917 births
- 1982 deaths
- People from Wellington City
- People educated at St. Patrick's College, Wellington
- New Zealand World War II pilots
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel
- New Zealand Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives
- New Zealand MPs for Auckland electorates
- New Zealand National Party MPs
- Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand
- New Zealand defence ministers
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to the United States
- Ambassadors of New Zealand to Mexico
- Burials at North Shore Memorial Park
- 20th-century New Zealand politicians