Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
VA034
Wednesday, 13 May 2009
AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL COUNCIL REAPPOINTMENTS
General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (Retd), Mr Les Carlyon and Major General Bill Crews AO
(Retd) have been reappointed to the Australian War Memorial Council, the Minister for
Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, announced today.
Mr Griffin said their part-time reappointments had been approved by Governor-General Her
Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC.
“I congratulate General Cosgrove, Mr Carlyon and Major General Crews for their contribution in
ensuring the Australian War Memorial continues its place as an important place of
commemoration, a world-renowned tourist destination and Australian icon,” Mr Griffin said.
General Cosgrove was first appointed to the Council in 2006 and elected Chair in 2007 after
being an ex-officio member in 2000-2002. He has been reappointed until May 2012. General
Cosgrove served in Malaysia and South Vietnam where he was awarded the Military Cross.
After service in East Timor, he was appointed Chief of Army and later Chief of the Defence
Force. Retiring in 2005, General Cosgrove is still active in the ex-service community.
Mr Les Carlyon was first appointed to the Council in 2006. He has been reappointed until April
2012. He has had a distinguished career in journalism, including editing several major
metropolitan newspapers. He received the Walkley Award twice and authored the best selling
Gallipoli. His recent book The Great War was a joint winner of the Prime Minister’s award for
Australian history.
Major General Crews was first appointed to the Council in April 2006. He has been reappointed
until April 2011. He has had a distinguished military career, serving in Vietnam and holding a
number of senior Defence appointments. He retired in 1999 after thirty-seven years of service
in the Defence Force. He was elected National President of the Returned & Services League of
Australia in 2003.
“These men have brought a wealth of experience and knowledge of Australia’s wartime history
to the Council and I wish them well in continuing their good work,” Mr Griffin.
The Australian War Memorial Council comprises ten part-time members, and the Chief of Army,
the Chief of Navy, the Chief of Air Force as ex-officio members. As part of the continuing
legacy of commemorating Australia’s wartime service, the Council is responsible for the
strategic direction of the Australian War Memorial.
Editor’s note: a list of biographies is attached.
Media inquiries: Sasha Nimmo 0437 863 109
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a
week on 1800 011 046. To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at
minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
Chairman of Council:
General Peter Cosgrove AC MC (Ret'd) was appointed to Council in June 2006 for a three
year term, having been an ex-officio member in 2000-2002. General Cosgrove was
subsequently appointed as Chairman on 13 November 2007. Following his graduation from the
Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1968, he served in Malaysia as a lieutenant in the 1st
Battalion, RAR, before joining the Australian reinforcement unit in South Vietnam. There he
commanded an infantry platoon and was awarded the Military Cross for his work during an
assault on enemy positions. In 1999, as Commander of the Deployable Joint Force
Headquarters, he assumed command of the International Forces in East Timor, overseeing
East Timor’s transition to independence. On returning to Australia, General Cosgrove was
appointed as Chief of Army, and later Chief of the Defence Force. He retired from this position
in 2005. General Cosgrove was Australian of the Year in 2001. He is a non-executive Director
of Qantas, a consultant to Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, and Chairman of the South Australian
Defence Industry Development Board. He is also a member of the Australian Institute of
Company Directors, on the board the Australian Rugby Union and Cardno, an engineering
consultancy company, and also Chairman of the Sir John Monash Foundation.
Members of Council:
Mr Les Carlyon was appointed to Council in May 2006 for a three-year term. He had a
distinguished career in journalism having been editor of The Age, editor-in-chief of the Herald
and Weekly Times group and a visiting lecturer in journalism at RMIT. As one of Australia’s
most respected journalists he has received both the Walkley Award (1971 and 2004) and the
Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year Award (1993). He is the author of Gallipoli, a
best-seller in both Australia and Britain, and has authored several other books on sport and
Australian history. His most recent book The Great War was published in 2006 and was the joint
winner of the Prime Minister’s award for Australian history.
Major General Bill Crews AO (Ret'd) was appointed to Council in April 2006 for a three year
term. He has had a distinguished military career. In 1962 he joined the Army and initially trained
as a civil engineer. He served in construction units, including in Vietnam from 1968-1969. His
final appointment in the Royal Australian Engineering Corps was as Commanding Officer, the
School of Military Engineering in 1983. He then held a number of senior appointments, including
Head of the Defence Centre, Brisbane, Assistant Chief of General Staff (Materiel), and
Assistant Chief Defence Force, Logistics. He was the Director of the Defence Intelligence
Organisation when he retired in 1999 after thirty-seven years service in the Defence Force.
Major General Crews was the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Institution of Engineers
Australia from 2000-2003, and has been the National President of the Returned and Services
League of Australia since 2003.
NEWS 
