Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath : Lieutenant General Sir John Monash

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, neck decoration and breast star.

John Monash was born in Melbourne on 27 June 1865. He was dux of Scotch College and studied arts and engineering at Melbourne University, where he was also involved in debating and student politics. Outside of university he dabbled in acting. In 1884 he joined the university company of the 4th Battalion, Victorian Rifles.

Monash finished his studies in 1895 and, having decided to combine engineering with a military career, was promoted to captain in the Garrison Artillery that year. In 1897 Monash was promoted to major in the North Melbourne Battery and served there for 11 years.

Monash was promoted to lieutenant colonel in the Australian Intelligence Corps in 1908. In 1913 he took command of the 13th Infantry Brigade.

After the outbreak of war, Monash took command of the AIF's 4th Infantry Brigade, landing at Gallipoli on 26 April 1915. In July he was promoted to brigadier general and in October, for ‘distinguished service in the Field’, was made Companion of the Order of the Bath.

Monash took his brigade to France in June 1916. He became a major general in July and took command of the 3rd Division. A handwritten but unsuccessful recommendation from October 1917 survives for Monash to be made Knight Commander of the order of St Michael and St George. He was however awarded a higher honour, announced in the New Year’s Honours list of 1918, when he was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) ‘for valuable services rendered in connection with military operations in the field’. Two of Monash’s greatest battles had still to take place before the honour was formally presented. In May 1918, Monash was promoted to lieutenant general and given command of the Australian Corps. His first battle in this role, Hamel, came to be considered the 'perfect battle'. Monash remained in command through the victorious battles in the last months of the war.

In August 1918, Monash was invested with his KCB and formally knighted by King George V at the Australian Corps headquarters, when he came to inspect the battlefield. The scene was described by Monash: ‘A square of carpet had been arranged in the centre of the piazza and on it stood a small table, a footstool, and a drawn sword. The King then had me name called and I stepped up before him and, at his behest, knelt and received the accolade of knighthood and, when he had bidden me rise, he presented me with the Insignia of a Knight Commander of Bath’. It was the first knighthood bestowed on a commander in the field in nearly two centuries.

After spending eight months in London overseeing the repatriation of the AIF, Monash was welcomed home in Melbourne by an enthusiastic public on Boxing Day 1919. He returned to business and in 1920 became manager of Victoria's State Electricity Commission. An advocate for returned soldiers, Monash also held a range of high-level positions. His opinions were widely sought and he became a leading figure in Melbourne's Jewish community.

Monash died of heart disease in Melbourne on 8 October 1931 and was given a state funeral attended by some 250,000 mourners.