George Wootten

Sir George Wootten
Major General George Wootten in January 1945
Born(1893-05-01)1 May 1893
Marrickville, New South Wales
Died31 March 1970(1970-03-31) (aged 76)
Concord, New South Wales
AllegianceAustralia
Service/branchAustralian Army
Years of service1911–1923
1937–1950
RankMajor General
Service numberNX7
Commands held3rd 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
AwardsKnight 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]

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

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