Josiah Francis

Sir Josiah Francis (28 March 1890 – 22 February 1964) was an Australian politician and Minister for the Army.

Francis was born in Ipswich, Queensland and educated at Christian Brothers' College, Ipswich and was appointed as a clerk in the Queensland Department of Justice in 1908. During World War I, he was appointed second lieutenant in the first Australian Imperial Force and served on the Western Front from April 1917. He was wounded and spent some time in hospital in England. Australian Dictionary of Biography
last= Rees
first= Jacqueline
authorlink=
year=1996
id=A140233b
title= Francis, Sir Josiah (1890 - 1964)
accessdate=2008-01-28 ]

Political career

Francis was elected as a Nationalist to the Australian House of Representatives seat of Moreton at the 1922 election and continued to hold the seat until his retirement in November 1955. In April 1927, he married Edna Clarke Cribb—they had no children. He was Minister in charge of War Service Homes from 1932 to 1934. He had been a member of the Returned Sailors' and Soldiers' Imperial League of Australia since 1920 and supported returned servicemen's issues. In 1943, while in opposition, he moved an amendment to allow the payment of full pensions to returned servicemen who were suffering from tuberculosis regardless of whether or not it could be shown to be caused by war service. Unusually in Australia, his amendment was passed without dissent. With the election of the Menzies government at the December 1949 election, he was appointed Minister for the Army and Minister for the Navy. He held the army porfolio until his retirement and the navy porfolio until May 1951; he was also Minister for the Navy from July 1954 until his retirement.

In 1956, Francis was appointed Australian consul general to New York. He was knighted in 1957 and retired to Brisbane in 1961. He died in the Brisbane suburb of Toowong, survived by his wife.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Francis, Josiah
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Australian politician
DATE OF BIRTH = 28 March 1890
PLACE OF BIRTH = Ipswich, Queensland
DATE OF DEATH = 22 February 1964
PLACE OF DEATH = Toowong, Queensland