Major General Cedric Maudsley Ingram "Sandy" Pearson, AO, DSO, OBE, MC (24 August 1918[3] – 7 November 2012) was an Australian Army officer. He was a Commander of Australian Forces during the Vietnam War, Commandant of the Royal Military College, Duntroon and Director of the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales.[4]
Cedric Maudsley Ingram Pearson | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Sandy" |
| Born | 24 August 1918 Kurri Kurri, New South Wales, Australia |
| Died | 7 November 2012 (aged 94) Narrabeen, New South Wales, Australia |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Australian Army |
| Years of service | 1937–1975 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | Royal Military College, Duntroon (1970–73) 1st Division (1969–70) 1st Australian Task Force (1968–69) 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1962–64) |
| Battles / wars | Second World War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Vietnam War |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of Australia Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross Legion of Merit (United States)[1] Knight of the National Order of Vietnam[2] Cross of Gallantry with Palm (Vietnam)[2] |
Early life and family
editCMI Pearson (known as Sandy) was born in Kurri Kurri, New South Wales,[3] the son of Margaret and the Rev. George Ingram Pearson, a Methodist minister.[5] Pearson attended Newington College (1932–1936)[6] before graduating from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1940.
Army career
edit- Served Second World War, (1942–1945)[3]
- Served Singapore, (1966–1968)
- Commander 1st Australian Task Force, Vietnam, (1968–1969)[7][8]
- Commandant, Royal Military College, Duntroon, (1970–1973)[8]
- Chief of Personnel, Australian Army, (1973–1975)
Post army career
edit- Exexcutive Director, Royal Agricultural Society of NSW, (1976–1983)
- Director, Brickworks Ltd, (1983–1998)
Committees
edit- RSL Committees, (1977–2002)
- Newington College Council, (1978–1998)
- NSW Homeless Children, (1981–1990)
Death
editAged 94, Pearson died on 7 November 2012 at the RSL Village in Narrabeen, New South Wales.[9] His funeral was held eight days later at the Newington College Chapel, Stanmore.
Notes
edit- ^ Barnes 1974, p. 80.
- ^ a b Barnes 1974, p. 84.
- ^ a b c PEARSON, Cedric Mandsley Ingram, memorial.act.gov.au
- ^ Crown Content Who's Who in Australia 2007 p. 1622
- ^ "LATE REV. G. INGRAM PEARSON". The Methodist (Sydney, NSW : 1892 – 1954). Sydney, NSW: National Library of Australia. 7 September 1940. p. 4. Retrieved 17 January 2015.
- ^ Newington College Register of Past Students 1863–1998 (Syd, 1999) p. 154
- ^ Commander 1st Australian Task Force at the time of the Battle of Binh Ba (image)
- ^ a b Vietnam vets honoured – Local News – News – The Manly Daily. Manly-daily.whereilive.com.au. Retrieved on 2011-04-06.
- ^ "Vale: Major General 'Sandy' Pearson". 7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment Association website. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
References
edit- Barnes, I.L. (1974). Australian Gallant and Distinguished Service, Vietnam 1962–1973: Being a Record of British and Foreign Decorations Awarded to Australian Servicemen. Canberra, Australia: Military Historical Society of Australia. ISBN 0909859108.