MONASH, Sir JOHN (1865-1931), soldier, engineer and administrator, was born on
27 June 1865 in West Melbourne, eldest of three children and only son of Louis
Monash (1831-1894) and his wife Bertha, née Manasse. Several generations of John's
paternal ancestors had lived at Krotoschin (Krotoszyn), Posen province (Poznan,
Poland), Prussia, near Breslau (Wroclaw). Almost one-third of the town's
population was Jewish. John's grandfather Baer-Loebel Monasch was a learned
publisher and printer. His uncle by marriage Heinrich Graetz was the eminent
historian of the Jewish people. His father Louis migrated to Melbourne in 1854,
prospered as a merchant, was naturalized in 1856 and was secretary of the
Deutscher Verein. He returned to Europe in 1863, married Bertha (of Dramburg, near
Stettin (Szczecin)), and next year took her back to Melbourne.
View the full record at
Australian Dictionary of Biography
(Sir) John Monash was General Manager of the State Electricity Commission of Victoria 1920-30. Earlier he was involved with the Reinforced Concrete Co. and had an exceptional military career during World War I as a corps commander.
Born West Melbourne, 27 June 1865. Died Iona, 8 October 1931. CB 1915; KCB 1918. Educated University of Melbourne (MEng 1893, BA, LLB 1895). Construction worker 1885-87; in charge of construction, Outer Circle eastern suburban railway line 1888-91; Melbourne Harbor Trust 1891-94; private practice with J.T. Nobel Anderson as civil, mining and mechanical engineers and patent agents 1894-1902, acquiring the patent rights in Victoria for Monier reinforced concrete construction; Monier Pipe Co. Pty Ltd of Victoria 1901-05; Reinforced Concrete & Monier Pipe Construction Co. Ltd 1905-20; General manager, State Electricity Commission of Victoria 1920-30. Probationary lieutenant, North Melbourne Battery of the Metropolitan Brigade of the Garrison Artillery 1887-95, captain 1895-97, major with command of the North Melbourne Battery 1897-1908, lieutenant-colonel in charge of the Victorian section of the Australian Intelligence Corps (militia) 1908-13, colonel in command of the 13th Infantry Brigade 1913-14, chief censor 1914, commander, 4th Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force 1914, brigadier general from July 1915, major general from July 1916, lieutenant-general and corps commander from June 1918, serving in Gallipoli, Egypt, England and France and receiving a number of awards. Peter Nicol Russell Memorial Medal, Institute of Engineers, Australia 1929; Kernot Memorial Medal, University of Melbourne 1931. Vice-chancellor, University of Melbourne from 1923; president, Victorian Institute of Engineers 1913; president, Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 1924-26.
View the full record at
Encyclopedia of Australian Science
It is with the deepest regret that we announce the death of General Sir John Monash, a great soldier and a great citizen, who was the leader of Australia's citizen soldiers in some of the most remarkable...
View the full record at
Obituaries Australia
Show comments and reviews from Amazon users