Arthur MacDonald

General Sir Arthur Leslie MacDonald KBE CB
Born	30 January 1919 (1919-01-30)
Died	20 January 1995 (1995-01-21) (aged 75)
Place of birth	Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1939 – 1979
Rank	General
Commands held	Chief of the Defence Force Staff Chief of the General Staff Australian Forces, Vietnam Papua New Guinea Command 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment
Battles/wars	Second World War North African Campaign Second Battle of El Alamein South West Pacific theatre New Guinea campaign Malayan Emergency Korean War Vietnam War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Mentioned in Despatches

For the RAF Air Marshal, see Arthur McDonald

General Sir Arthur Leslie MacDonald, KBE CB (30 January 1919 – 20 January 1995) was a senior officer in the Australian Army, who served in the positions of Chief of the General Staff from 1975 to 1977, then Chief of the Defence Force Staff from 1977 to 1979; the professional head of the Australian Army and Australian Defence Force respectively.

Life

MacDonald was born in Rockhampton, Queensland, on 30 January 1919. Entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon, he graduated as a lieutenant in 1939, and was posted to the 2/15th Battalion the following year for active service during the Second World War. MacDonald remained with the unit until the end of the war, which included seeing action at El Alamein during the North African Campaign, and New Guinea in the South West Pacific theatre.

In the 1953 New Year Honours, MacDonald was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service with the Australian Army Staff Corps. On 14 March 1953, MacDonald was posted to Korea and assumed command of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. During his command of the unit, MacDonald was Mentioned in Despatches for his "personal example and professional ability". He returned to Australia during February 1954, and was posted as Director of Military Operations.

In 1965, MacDonald was posted as Commander Papua New Guinea Command. He returned to Australia the following year, and was posted as Deputy Chief of the General Staff and later as Adjutant General to the Australian Army. On 26 January 1968, MacDonald arrived in Vietnam and assumed command of the army component of the Australian forces in the country. He served in this position until February 1969, at which time he was re-posted as Adjutant General. For his services in Vietnam, MacDonald was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

During 1975, MacDonald was promoted to lieutenant general and assumed the position of Chief of the General Staff; the professional head of the Australian Army. Only two years later he was promoted to general and appointed Chief of the Defence Force Staff on 21 April 1977. In the 1978 New Year's Honours List, MacDonald was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. MacDonald retired from the Australian Army on 20 April 1979. Aged 75, he died on 20 January 1995. A military funeral was held in St. John's Cathedral, Brisbane, on 2 February 1995.

Honours and Awards

	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)	1978 New Year Honours
	Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)	1953 New Year Honours
	Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)	(1969)
	1939–45 Star
	Africa Star	with 8th ARMY clasp
	Pacific Star
	War Medal 1939–1945
	Australia Service Medal 1939–45
	Australian Active Service Medal 1945–1975	with MALAYA, KOREA and VIETNAM clasps
	Korea Medal	With Oakleaf for Mentioned in Dispatches (1953)
	United Nations Korea Medal
	General Service Medal (1962)	With Malaya clasp
	Vietnam Medal
	Australian Service Medal 1945–1975	with KOREA clasp
	Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal	1952
	Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal	1977
	Defence Force Service Medal with 5 clasps (Federation Star)	40+ years service
	National Medal with 2 clasps	35–45 years service
	Pingat Jasa Malaysia	(Malaysia)