Athol Townley

Athol Townley

Athol Gordon Townley (3 October 190524 December 1963) was an Australian politician and Minister for Defence.

Townley was born in Hobart and educated at Elizabeth Street State School and Hobart High School, and at Hobart Technical College. He qualified as a pharmaceutical chemist in 1928 and in 1930 found a job looking after quality control for a Sydney baker. In 1931 he married Hazel Florence Greenwood and they later moved back to Hobart where he formed a partnership with his brother Rex that eventually owened three pharmacies. He joined the Royal Australian Navy in September 1940 and in February 1941 he was sent to England to train in bomb- and mine-disposal work. He returned to Australia and commanded the patrol boat "Steady Hour" which assisted in destroying a Japanese midget submarine during the attack on Sydney Harbour in June 1942. He was put in command of the Fairmile B motor launch ML817 in January 1943, promoted to acting lieutenant commander in March and was involved in the New Guinea campaign.Australian Dictionary of Biography
last=Broomhill
first=Ray
authorlink=
year=1981
id=A160493b
title= Townley, Athol Gordon (1905 - 1963)
accessdate=2007-10-15
]

Political career

Townley was opposed to Ben Chifley's bank nationalisation and won the Australian House of Representatives seat of Denison in the 1949 election for the Liberal Party of Australia. Robert Menzies valued his opinion and appointed him to a series of portfolios, starting with Social Services in May 1951, although Paul Hasluck considered Townley a "teacher's pet" and claimed that he had only "slight" administrative abilities. Menzies appointed Townley Minister for Air and Minister for Civil Aviation in July 1954, Minister for Immigration in October 1956, and Minister for Supply in February 1958.

Townley became Minister for Defence in December 1958. On 24 May 1962 he announced that Australia would be sending thirty army advisers to South Vietnam, committing Australia to the Vietnam War. He suffered ill health during the 1960s, including a heart attack and bouts of pneumonia. Nevertheless, he travelled to Washington in in October 1963 to sign a contract for the purchase of the F-111 aircraft—this contract was later severely criticised due to the sharply increased prices subsequently experienced. Menzies announced his appointment as ambassador to the United States on 17 December, but he died at the Mercy Hospital East Melbourne a week later, survived by his wife and son.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Townley, Athol Gordon
ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Australian politician and Minister for Defence
SHORT DESCRIPTION =
DATE OF BIRTH = 3 October 1905
PLACE OF BIRTH = Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
DATE OF DEATH = 24 December 1963
PLACE OF DEATH = East Melbourne, Victoria


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ministre de la Défense (Australie) — Stephen Smith, l actuel ministre de la défense australien. Le ministre de la Défense australien est actuellement Stephen Smith. Il administre son ministère via l Organisme australien de défense, qui englobe le ministère de la Défense et l armée… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Ministre de la défense (Australie) — Le ministre de la défense Australien est actuellementJoel Fitzgibbon. Il administre son ministère via la Australian Defence Organisation, qui englobe le Ministère de la Défense et l armée australienne. Sommaire 1 Ministres de la défense 2… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Division of Denison — This article is about the federal electorate. For the state electorate, see Division of Denison (state). Denison Australian House of Representatives Division Division of Denison (green) in Tasmania Create …   Wikipedia

  • Minister for Defence (Australia) — Minister for Defence Incumbent Stephen Smith since 14 September 2010 …   Wikipedia

  • Members of the Australian House of Representatives, 1963–1966 — Member Party Electorate State Term of office Hon Charles Adermann Country Fisher Qld 1943–1972 Ian Allan Country Gwydir NSW 1953–1969 …   Wikipedia

  • Minister for Defence Materiel (Australia) — Minister for Defence Materiel Incumbent Jason Clare since 14 September 2010 Style The Honourable …   Wikipedia

  • Fifth Menzies Ministry — The Fifth Menzies Ministry was the thirty sixth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 11 May 1951 to 9 July 1954.Liberal Party of Australia ndash;Australian Country Party Coalition*Rt Hon Robert Menzies, KC MP: Prime Minister *Rt Hon… …   Wikipedia

  • Sixth Menzies Ministry — The Sixth Menzies Ministry was the thirty seventh Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 9 July 1954 to 11 January 1956.Liberal Party of Australia ndash;Australian Country Party Coalition*Rt Hon Robert Menzies, QC MP: Prime Minister *Rt… …   Wikipedia

  • Seventh Menzies Ministry — The Seventh Menzies Ministry was the thirty eighth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 11 January 1956 to 10 December 1958.Liberal Party of Australia ndash;Australian Country Party CoalitionCabinet*Rt Hon Robert Menzies, QC MP: Prime… …   Wikipedia

  • Eighth Menzies Ministry — The Eighth Menzies Ministry was the thirty ninth Australian Commonwealth ministry, and ran from 10 December 1958 to 22 December 1961.Liberal Party of Australia ndash;Australian Country Party CoalitionCabinet*Rt Hon Robert Menzies, KC MP: Prime… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”