Brigadier General Edmund Drake-Brockman

Depicts a portrait of Brigadier General Edmund Drake-Brockman (1884-1949) CMG, DSO, MID, Commanding 4th Brigade AIF. Drake-Brockman was born in Busselton, Western Australia, the son of a surveyor and 20th century explorer. After graduating from school, he served his articles with the solicitor's firm of James and Derbyshire and was admitted to practice in 1909. He served in the cadets at school and was commissioned in the militia's 11th Infantry in May 1903. He was aide-de-camp to the Governor of Western Australia from 1907 until 1911 and attended a training course at the staff college at Quetta in India from 1908-09. Promoted to Major in 1911, he transferred to the 88th Infantry in July 1912 and in 1914 was appointed to the AIF as a Major, with the 11th Infantry battalion. In April 1915 he landed at Gallipoli and in July was seriously injured and evacuated to Malta, then invalided home to Australia in October. He returned to Egypt in April 1916, and was given command of the 16th Infantry Battalion. In October 1917 he was appointed to command the 4th Training Battalion. He became a full colonel and honorary brigadier general in January 1920. Drake-Brockman was elected to the Senate as a Nationalist in 1919 and was government whip from 1923 until 1926 when he retired from parliament. He represented Australia at the league of nations in Geneva in 1925. In 1927 he was appointed to the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration as a judge.