General Sir Thomas Blamey

Portrait of General Sir Thomas Blamey, CB, CMG, DSO, Deputy Commander in Chief Middle East Forces and General Commanding AIF seated and wearing field battle-coat. Blamey was a former school teacher who turned to the Army and rose to become Australia's only Field Marshal. During the Second World War, Blamey was appointed to command the 6th Division. Returning to Australia in 1942 he became Commander-in-Chief, Australian Military Forces and Commander Allied Land Forces in the South West Pacific. Blamey retired in 1945 but in May 1951, shortly before his death, was recalled to the active list and created Field Marshal. Hele painted General Blamey at Heliopolis, near Cairo, Egypt, in September 1941. Blamey had been responsible for Hele's commissioning as an official war artist, the first appointment made in the Second World War.