In Memoriam - Major General A L Morrison
Major General A L Morrison, AO, DSO, MBE
(1927–2008)
Major General Alan Lindsay Morrison, widely and affectionately known as ‘Alby’, was born in Sydney on 15 August 1927 and educated at Waverly College. He entered RMC Duntroon during the Second World War and graduated, to Infantry, in December 1947. Like many of his own and subsequent classes, he served in Japan during the Allied occupation, in his case with the 66th Battalion, the forebear of 2 RAR. Service in the Korean War was also a shared experience for his generation: with 3 RAR in 1950–51, and again in 1952–53 as a Staff Captain on the Headquarters of the 28th British Commonwealth Brigade, a composite formation with units from Britain, Australia, New Zealand and India commanded by Brigadier T J (later Lieutenant General Sir Thomas) Daly.
Following the Korean War he held the usual range of regimental and junior staff postings, including a period as an instructor at RMC, before attending Staff College at Camberley in the United Kingdom in 1959. A period instructing at the Australian Staff College in Queenscliff, Victoria between 1965-67 was followed by appointment to raise and command a new battalion, 9 RAR, and lead it on operational service in the Republic of Vietnam in 1968–69, its only tour on active service. Raising, training and deploying a new battalion within a twelve-month period was a demanding task, and Major General Morrison was always proud of the record of the battalion and its members. For his service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order.
He then served a term as MA to the Chief of the General Staff, Daly, in keeping with the latter’s stipulation that his personal staff officers were to have recent active service in Vietnam. Promoted to major general in 1977 he was appointed Commandant of RMC, and did much to help the further development of the institution as a professional military education establishment, allied to a university, in a difficult period. As commandant he was noted for walking about the college, sometimes accompanied by his dog in the evenings, and chatting to anyone he encountered, thus shrewdly keeping a finger on the pulse of college life. While in the post he also established the Duntroon Society. He retired from the Army in 1981 and became the Services member of the Repatriation Commission, and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia.
In retirement he maintained active links with the Army and with the Royal Australian Regiment in particular, serving as Colonel Commandant between 1986–93 and as National President of the RAR Association. He also established the RAR Foundation, and served as its inaugural chairman.
A man of great personal charm and courtesy and a lively conversationalist, he would recite great quantities of verse by Paterson and ‘John O’Brien’ with slight encouragement. Alby Morrison is survived by his wife, Margaret, two adult children and their families. His son, David, is currently Deputy Chief of Army.
Jeff Grey
