Donald Cleland
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Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...
Sir Donald Mackinnon Cleland, (28 June 1901 – 27 August 1975) was an Australian soldier and administrator.


Early years

Born on 28 June 1901 at
Coolgardie, Western Australia Coolgardie is a small town in Western Australia located around east of the state capital, Perth; and southwest of Kalgoorlie. It has a population of approximately 850 people. Although Coolgardie is now known to most Western Australians as a ...
, eldest son of
Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...
-born Elphinstone Davenport Cleland, mine-manager, and his second wife Anne Emily, née Mackinnon, from Scotland.H. N. Nelson
'Cleland, Sir Donald Mackinnon (1901–1975)'
Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, pp 440–441.
On 18 December 1928 he married Rachel Evans at
St George's Cathedral, Perth St George's Cathedral is the principal Anglican Church of Australia, Anglican church in the city of Perth, Western Australia, and the cathedra, mother-church of the Anglican Diocese of Perth. It is located on St Georges Terrace, Perth, St Georg ...
,
Western Australia Western Australia (WA) is the westernmost state of Australia. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east, and South Australia to the south-east. Western Aust ...
. Energetic, with broad interests and deft social skills, Rachel complemented his dour, sometimes gruff, manner, and eased contact with diverse people. She was appointed
Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
in 1981.


Political candidacy

Cleland stood for the Legislative Assembly seat of
Claremont Claremont may refer to: Places Australia *Claremont, Ipswich, a heritage-listed house in Queensland * Claremont, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart * Claremont, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth * Town of Claremont, Perth * Claremont Airbase, an ...
at the
1933 Events January * January 11 – Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith makes the first commercial flight between Australia and New Zealand. * January 17 – The United States Congress votes in favour of Philippines independen ...
and 1936 state elections, on both occasions with the endorsement of the Nationalist Party. His chief opponent on both occasions was Charles North, the sitting Nationalist member since 1924 and a future
Speaker Speaker most commonly refers to: * Speaker, a person who produces speech * Loudspeaker, a device that produces sound ** Computer speakers Speaker, Speakers, or The Speaker may also refer to: Arts and entertainment * "Speaker" (song), by David ...
. The margin between Cleland and North was 378 votes in 1933 and 79 votes in 1936 – Cleland polled 49.05% of the vote on the latter occasion.


Military career

For his work as deputy assistant quartermaster general, I Corps, during the campaigns in Libya, Greece and Syria in 1941, he was appointed a
Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
(1942) and
mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...
. In October 1942 he was promoted temporary brigadier. Again mentioned in despatches, Cleland was elevated to
Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...
in 1945.


Administrative career in the Territory of Papua and New Guinea

Cleland became administrator, succeeding
Jack Keith Murray Sir Jack Keith Murray, (8 February 1889 – 10 December 1979), often cited as J. K. Murray, was an Australian colonial administrator, army officer, and educator. He was Administrator of the Australian Territory of Papua and New Guinea, and fou ...
and chaired the Legislative Council of the
Territory of Papua and New Guinea The Territory of Papua and New Guinea , officially the Administrative Union of the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea, was established by an administrative union between the Australian-administered territories of Papua and New ...
(which became Papua New Guinea) from 1953 until 1964 and directed the introduction of the first House of Assembly elected by full adult franchise; he restructured the public service so that it would be dominated by Papua New Guineans, paid at a rate the country could afford; and he continued the elimination of discriminatory legislation, most obviously ending the liquor ban in 1962. He was knighted in 1961 and retired in 1967.


Retirement

In retirement Cleland lived in Port Moresby, the only administrator of either territory to choose to stay there. He was pro-chancellor and chancellor (from 1971) of the University of Papua New Guinea, and chancellor (from 1967) of the Anglican diocese of Papua New Guinea. Sir Donald died on 27 August 1975 in Port Moresby.Sir Donald Cleland
''Pacific Islands Monthly'', October 1975, pp93–94
Accorded a state funeral, he was buried in the cemetery at Bomana. He was survived by his wife, Lady Rachel (née Evans), and their two sons. Rachel continued living in their house on Lawes Road in Port Moresby.


References


External links



www.generals.dk {{DEFAULTSORT:Cleland, Donald Mackinnon 1901 births 1975 deaths 20th-century Australian politicians Administrators of Papua and New Guinea Australian brigadiers Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Australian emigrants to Papua New Guinea Australian Knights Bachelor Australian Army personnel of World War II Nationalist Party (Australia) politicians People from Coolgardie, Western Australia Members of the Legislative Council of Papua and New Guinea Military personnel from Western Australia