In Memoriam - Major General Alan Bishop Stretton AO, CBE (retired)

Alan Bishop Stretton

(1922–2012)

Alan Bishop Stretton (b. 1922 Elwood, Victoria) enlisted in the Australian Army in 1940 and was assigned to the 2nd Cavalry Division. In 1941 he was promoted to lance sergeant, before being discharged from the 2nd Cavalry Division in 1941 and accepted as a staff cadet at the Royal Military College, Duntroon. Following his studies he graduated in December 1943 as a lieutenant, and in July 1944 he joined the 2/9th Battalion, 7th Division. At this the 2/9th Battalion was rebuilding in Australia after taking 374 casualties at Buna from an initial strength of 700.

Following months of frustrating delay, Stretton and the 2/9th Battalion moved to Morotai in early 1945 in anticipation of the Oboe landing at Balikpapan. Stretton, came ashore in the first wave leading a reconnaissance party attached to the 2/12th Battalion. After rejoining his 13th Platoon, Stretton led his men in combat against stubborn Japanese defences around Balikpapan, including operations alongside flame tanks to clear bunker complexes. In the following days Stretton took part in a second landing at Penadjam, before leading small patrols harassing withdrawing Japanese rearguard forces. Stretton ended the Second World War as the 2/9th Battalion’s Intelligence Officer.

Following post-war duties overseeing Japanese disarmament, Stretton was posted to the Directorate of Military Intelligence at Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, where amongst his other duties he became involved in the early Cold War intelligence world of informants and agents. In 1947 he was promoted to captain. While in Melbourne, Stretton indulged in his lifelong passion for sport and played two seasons for St Kilda in the then Victorian Football League. In May 1949 he was promoted to major and posted to the War Office in London.

In late 1953 Major Stretton returned Australia and took command of a company in the 1st Battalion, Royal Australia Regiment and deployed to the Demilitarised Zone in Korea. While in Korea he was appointed Brigade Major of the 28th Britcom Infantry Brigade. Stretton’s time in Korea ended in 1955. In 1960 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and posted to the Army Staff College, Queenscliff, as an instructor. In April 1961 he took command of 2nd Battalion, Royal Australia Regiment, deploying to Malaya, before returning to Australia in August 1963.

In May 1966 Stretton was promoted to colonel and took up the position of Director Administrative Planning. In 1969 he became the Chief of Staff of Australian Force Vietnam in Saigon. For his service in Vietnam he was made a Commander of the British Empire, and received the Distinguished Service Order and the Bronze Star. In 1970 he returned to Australia and joined the Army Reorganisation Committee overseeing the shaping of the future land force. Promoted to brigadier in late 1970 and selected to attend the 1971 officer course at the Royal College of Defence Studies, London, Stretton travelled widely, and during the thirteen months he spent abroad he visited seventeen countries. In 1972, following an interview with Sir Arthur Tange, Stretton returned to intelligence, becoming the Deputy Director (Military) of the Joint Intelligence Organisation.

In July 1974 Stretton was promoted to major general and tasked with establishing the National Disasters Organisation; four months later the National Emergency Operations Centre was officially opened. The timing was fortuitous because just before midnight on Christmas Day 1974, Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin. Stretton arrived in Darwin on the next, assumed overall command, and laid the foundation for city’s reconstruction. For his tireless efforts in overseeing the evacuation of Darwin Stretton was made an Officer of the Order of Australia, and following this in 1975 he was named Australian of the Year, and Father of the Year. He made it clear, however, that he accepted the awards on behalf of the people of Darwin, rather than himself.

Stretton retired in 1978, being one of a few Australian generals to rise from the ranks. His career spanned the Second World War, Malaya and Vietnam, but it is for his time spent as the Director General of the Natural Disasters Organisation for which he is most remembered. Stretton was a man of many talents, and following his military career he practised law in Canberra for about 20 years, specialising in conveyancing and commercial law, and was a well known member of the city’s legal community. He published an engaging autobiography in 1978: Soldier in a Storm.

Major General Alan Bishop Stretton AO, CBE (retired) passed away at Batemans Bay in New South Wales on 26 October 2012, aged 90. He was farewelled with full military honours at the Royal Military College Chapel in Canberra on 2 November 2012. He is survived by daughters Virginia and April, and son Greg.