George Wootten

Sir George Wootten
Sir George Wootten
	Major General George Wootten in January 1945
Born	1 May 1893; Marrickville, New South Wales
Died	31 March 1970 (aged 76); Concord, New South Wales
Allegiance	Australia
Service / branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1911–1923; 1937–1950
Rank	Major General
Service number	NX7
Commands	3rd Division (1947–50); 9th Division (1943–45); 18th Infantry Brigade (1941–43); 16th Infantry Brigade (1940); 2/2nd Infantry Battalion (1939–40); 21st Light Horse Regiment (1937–39)
Battles / wars	First World War Gallipoli campaign Landing at Anzac Cove; Battle of Lone Pine; ; ; Second World War North African Campaign Siege of Giarabub; Siege of Tobruk; ; New Guinea campaign Battle of Milne Bay; Battle of Buna–Gona; Huon Peninsula campaign; ; Operation Cartwheel Salamaua–Lae campaign; ; Borneo campaign Operation Oboe Six; ; ;
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Companion of the Order of the Bath; Distinguished Service Order & Bar; Efficiency Decoration; Mentioned in Despatches (4); Distinguished Service Cross (United States)

Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED (1 May 1893 – 31 March 1970) was a senior Australian Army officer, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary major general during the Second World War. Wootten earned the respect of his soldiers and superiors; General Douglas MacArthur described him as "the best soldier in the Australian Army who had it in him to reach the highest position". He was famous, in part, for his heavy build; he had given up smoking in 1930, and by 1941—even though he was 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) tall—he weighed 127 kg (20 st).^[1]

^ A. J. Hill, 'Wootten, Sir George Frederick (1893–1970)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 16, Melbourne University Press, 2002, pp 586–588.

[1] A. J. Hill, 'Wootten, Sir George Frederick (1893–1970)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 16, Melbourne University Press, 2002, pp 586–588.

[1]

Sir George Wootten
Major General George Wootten in January 1945
Born	(1893-05-01)1 May 1893 Marrickville, New South Wales
Died	31 March 1970(1970-03-31) (aged 76) Concord, New South Wales
Allegiance	Australia
Service / branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1911–1923 1937–1950
Rank	Major General
Service number	NX7
Commands	3rd Division (1947–50) 9th Division (1943–45) 18th Infantry Brigade (1941–43) 16th Infantry Brigade (1940) 2/2nd Infantry Battalion (1939–40) 21st Light Horse Regiment (1937–39)
Battles / wars	First World War Gallipoli campaign Landing at Anzac Cove Battle of Lone Pine Second World War North African Campaign Siege of Giarabub Siege of Tobruk New Guinea campaign Battle of Milne Bay Battle of Buna–Gona Huon Peninsula campaign Operation Cartwheel Salamaua–Lae campaign Borneo campaign Operation Oboe Six
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Efficiency Decoration Mentioned in Despatches (4) Distinguished Service Cross (United States)