Opinions sought on Field Marshall Sir Thomas Blamey

[skilts]

I'm interested in people's opinions on our WW2 military leader. Blamey was the Commander-in-Chief of all Australia's armed forces from 1939 to 1946. He has variously been portrayed as a womaniser, bastard, murderer, liar and impugner of the courage of Australian soldiers in New Guinea. Others have described him as our greatest military leader and as the person most responsible for Australia's successes in the war. What do you think of this man?

 

[Qsaint]

3rd best military leader.

 

[skilts]

The other two being?

 

[Qsaint]

Bob Brown and the union movement

I think its fairly obvious

 

[finders]

He was probibly a bit of all of the things that have been written and said about him.
My Granmother knew him when he was Commisioner of the Victoria Police between the two world wars and she had some ripper stories about the lavish boozy parties he used to throw at the Australia Hotel on Collins Street.

 

[acker]

Overated

At the end of the day when things escalated in this part of the world after the Jap's entered the war.

General Douglas MacArthur was in charge of all the Australian troops in the Asian/Pacific theatre of war

But getting caught in a police sting in a brothel in 1936 (according to wiki) while he was the Victorian Commissioner of police might have balanced his legend status back out.

He was appointed as Chief Commissioner of the Victoria Police, where scandal first found him. During a raid on a brothel, the police were about to take into custody a "rather short, stocky, moustachioed gentleman when he produced a police badge, told them he was a detective, and bally-hooed his way free". The badge (number 80) was found to belong to the new police commissioner - Thomas Blamey. A second scandal occurred in 1936 when Blamey attempted to cover up details of the shooting of a police officer. This ultimately led to his dismissal as Chief Commissioner.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Blamey

 

[Contra Mundum]

He was an incompetent careerist who was out of his depth who could forget his performance in Greece where he flew out of Greece for Egypt with his son and left his men to rot - the parallel with Freiberg was incredible

The aura of war General has left him now and even the official war memorial historians and those that teach at Duntroon are less than complimentary these days

A true leader of men pffft!

 

[Illinois Nazi]

Was never tested against the Sontarans. Would have struggled, I suspect.

 

[dan warna]

not a patch on monash, who was australias greatest military leader.

 

[bit_pattern]

So he was a cop AND a mass murderer... Sounds like a right a-hole to me...

 

[Wicked Lester]

Way, way behind Monash.

I'm of the view that we (australians) over-rate our importance in WW2 and under-rate our importance in WW1.

 

[Moo]

Way, way behind Monash.

I'm of the view that we (australians) over-rate our importance in WW2 and under-rate our importance in WW1.

Don't underestimate the value in the holding/delay of Rommel in Tobruk - allowed the reinforcement of Egypt thus saving the Suez canal link and denying middle east oil to the Germans.

 

[Qsaint]

Don't underestimate the value in the holding/delay of Rommel in Tobruk - allowed the reinforcement of Egypt thus saving the Suez canal link and denying middle east oil to the Germans.

Morshead's defence at Tobruk was one of the greatest tactical achievements of either WW.

 

[Moo]

Morshead's defence at Tobruk was one of the greatest tactical achievements of either WW.

Agree - I am just finishing Fitzsimons book at the moment.

 

[skilts]

Thanks to those who've posted opinions. I'm doing some research for a project about Blamey, and what has struck me most are the polarised views which seem to exist about the man. Not surprisingly, given this is BF, this diversity of opinion seems to be reflected on here as well as in the broader community.

In the course of the research I've done, I've found that the most virulent antipathy towards Blamey surfaces in his home town of Wagga. This surprised me somewhat, given that he left Wagga at the age of sixteen, and never returned.

Along with a large proportion of people who detested him, it seems the next largest group consists of those who have never heard of him. These same people are all aware of Montgomery, MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower etc., but not of their own countryman.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Thanks to those who've posted opinions. I'm doing some research for a project about Blamey, and what has struck me most are the polarised views which seem to exist about the man. Not surprisingly, given this is BF, this diversity of opinion seems to be reflected on here as well as in the broader community.

In the course of the research I've done, I've found that the most virulent antipathy towards Blamey surfaces in his home town of Wagga. This surprised me somewhat, given that he left Wagga at the age of sixteen, and never returned.

Along with a large proportion of people who detested him, it seems the next largest group consists of those who have never heard of him. These same people are all aware of Montgomery, MacArthur, Patton, Eisenhower etc., but not of their own countryman.

The episode where he lectured the troups on not having sufficient doggedness in New Guinea where the men had to be persuaded not to raise their arms against him is a pearler - you should also read Peter Ewers Book about the "Forgotten Anzacs" in Greece for some insights

Pete says the historical tide is turning against him

 

[pazza]

You have to be decent to get to Field Marshal rank.

 

[skilts]

The episode where he lectured the troups on not having sufficient doggedness in New Guinea where the men had to be persuaded not to raise their arms against him is a pearler - you should also read Peter Ewers Book about the "Forgotten Anzacs" in Greece for some insights

Pete says the historical tide is turning against him

I'd be very interested to see a written copy of that speech in Moresby. There appears to be an issue about what was meant by the remarks which were made. It's possible Blamey was misinterpreted by his troops.

For Pete to say the tide is turning against him is a complete misunderstanding of the revile in which Blamey has been, and still is held, by all but the current upper echelons of the military, and its most-qualified historians. The tide had no need of being turned. Makes you wonder to whom he's been listening. Will get a copy of the book though. Thanks for the info.

 

[skilts]

In the unlikely event that anybody is interested, Dees 31 and I have recently completed a feature film script about Blamey. Its working title is, 'Our Tom'. The implication inherent within this title is the habit Aussie families have of referring to their children as 'Our So and So', especially when that member of their family is overseas. Also, the title is a reference to the fact that Blamey was 'Our Tom', whether Australians like it or not.

Will keep you posted of any developments. The whole process took 18 months of research and writing, and I'm very happy with the 'finished' product. The input from BF was not insignificant in appraising us of current thinking about Blamey, which is why I posted this originally.

Thanks to all who participated.

 

[SweetLeftFoot]

In the unlikely event that anybody is interested, Dees 31 and I have recently completed a feature film script about Blamey. Its working title is, 'Our Tom'. The implication inherent within this title is the habit Aussie families have of referring to their children as 'Our So and So', especially when that member of their family is overseas. Also, the title is a reference to the fact that Blamey was 'Our Tom', whether Australians like it or not.

Will keep you posted of any developments. The whole process took 18 months of research and writing, and I'm very happy with the 'finished' product. The input from BF was not insignificant in appraising us of current thinking about Blamey, which is why I posted this originally.

Thanks to all who participated.

I'd be fascinated to read it/see it.

 

[sandeano]

I'd be fascinated to read it/see it.

Seconded.

Best of luck with it, Skilts & Dees 31.

 

[DarwinRoo]

He has a barracks named after him and I share his birthday, 24th of January.

 

[Herne Hill Hammer]

Did they ever get around to changing the name of the square at Russell Hill from General to Field Marshall?

 

[Wally Carter]

Complete **** that should have been shot by his own troops:

The "running rabbits" incident

On 22 October, after the relief of the 21st Brigade by the 25th Brigade, Blamey visited the remnants of Maroubra Force at Koitaki camp, near Port Moresby. While Rowell had allowed Potts to return to his brigade, Herring was unfamiliar with Potts and preferred to work with officers he knew. Blamey relieved Potts of his command, replacing him with Brigadier Ivan Dougherty, an officer he knew from when Blamey commanded the Northern Territory Force. Blamey cited Potts' failure to hold back the Japanese, despite commanding "superior forces" and, despite explicit orders to the contrary, Potts' failure to launch an offensive to re-take Kokoda. Blamey explained that Prime Minister John Curtin had told him to say that failures like Kokoda would not be tolerated.[79]


Shortly after relieving Potts, Blamey addressed the men of the 21st Brigade on a parade ground. The men of the Maroubra Force expected congratulations for their efforts in holding back the Japanese. However, instead of praising them, Blamey told the brigade that they had been "beaten" by inferior forces, and that "no soldier should be afraid to die". "Remember," Blamey was reported as saying, "it's the rabbit who runs who gets shot, not the man holding the gun."[79] There was a wave of murmurs and restlessness among the soldiers. Officers and senior NCOs managed to quiet the soldiers and many later said that Blamey was lucky to escape with his life. Later that day, during a march-past parade, many disobeyed the "eyes right" order.[79] In a later letter to his wife, an enraged Brigadier Potts swore to "fry his [Blamey's] soul in the afterlife" over this incident. According to witnesses, when Blamey subsequently visited Australian wounded in the camp hospital, inmates nibbled lettuce, while wrinkling their noses and whispering "run, rabbit, run" (the chorus of a popular song during the war).[79]
Dougherty commanded the 21st Brigade[80] until the end of the war, while Potts went to command the 23rd Brigade.[81]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokoda_Track_campaign

 

[skilts]

Complete **** that should have been shot by his own troops:

This is an accurate summation of a commonly-held view about Blamey. The Koitaki speech is addressed at some length and in detail in the script.