RMC-D Leaders
Since 1911, RMC-D has drawn the highest calibre of Australian Army leaders to oversee the training of future officers.
Listed are the roles of appointees to key leadership positions at the College, past and present.
From Major General Bridges - who died of wounds sustained at Gallipoli - the Commandants of the Royal Military College - Duntroon have held a unique position presiding over the formation and education of our Army's future leaders.
1910–14: Brigadier General W.T. Bridges, CMG
1914–20: Major General J.W. Parnell, CMG
1920–22: Major General J.G. Legge, CB, CMG
1922–29: Colonel Commandant F.B. Heritage, CBE, MVO
1929–31: Brigadier E.F Harrison
1931: Brigadier F.B. Heritage, CBE, MVO
1931: Major General J.H. Bruche, CB, CMG
1931: Lieutenant Colonel D.H. Pratt, DSO, MC
1931–32: Brigadier F.B. Heritage, CBE, MVO
1933–35: Colonel J.D. Lavarack, CMG, DSO
1935–39: Brigadier C.G.N. Miles, CMG, DSO
1939–40: Major General E.C.P. Plant, DSO, OBE
1940–42: Brigadier E.F. Harrison
1942–45: Brigadier B. Combes, CBE (1914)
1945–48: Brigadier E.L. Vowles, MC (1914)
1949–51: Major General H. Wells, CBE, DSO (1919)
1951–54: Major General R.N.L. Hopkins, CBE (1917)
1954–57: Major General I.R. Campbell, CBE, DSO (1922)
1957–60: Major General J.G.N. Wilton, CBE, DSO (1930)
1960–62: Major General R.W. Knights, CBE (1932)
1962-68: Major General C.H. Finlay, CB, CBE (1931)
1968–70: Major General C.A.E. Fraser, CBE (1938)
1970–73: Major General C.M.I. Pearson, DSO, OBE, MC (1940)
1973–77: Major General R.A. Hay, CB, MBE (1939)
1977–81: Major General A.L. Morrison, AO, DSO, MBE (1947)
1981–83: Major General J.D. Kelly, DSO (1951)
1983–84: Major General H.J. Coates, MBE (1955)
1984–87: Major General B.H. Hockney, AO (1951)
1987–90: Major General M.P. Blake, AO, MC (1960)
1990–93: Brigadier R.G. Curtis, AM, MC (1963)
1993–95: Brigadier S.V.L. Willis (1970)
1995–96: Brigadier B.G. Stevens (1969)
1996–98: Brigadier P.J. Cosgrove, AM, MC (1968)
1998-99: Brigadier P.L.G. Pursey (OTU 1971)
1999–2002: Brigadier M.R. McNarn, AM (1978)
14 Jan 2002 - 5 Sep 2002: Brigadier M.F. Paramor (1976)
6 Sep 2002 - 24 Nov 2002: Colonel C.I. Evans (1981)
25 Nov 2002 - 7 Jan 2004: Brigadier M.F. Paramor, AM (1976)
2004–06: Brigadier C.G. Appleton, CSC (1978)
2006–09: Brigadier M.D. Bornholt, AM (OCS 1978)
2009–10: Brigadier M.J. Moon, DSC, AM (OCS 1981)
2011–2013: Brigadier D.M. Luhrs, CSC (1986)
2013–2015: Brigadier D.M. Gallasch, AM, CSC (1984 WRAAC)
2016-2017: Brigadier M. Brewer, CSC and Bar (1987)
2018 - 2019: Brigadier R. Hoskin, AM
2020 - Present: Brigadier A. Duncan, CSC (1996)
Year in parenthesis denotes graduation from RMC-D.
The design of the curriculum at the Royal Military College - Duntroon is of key importance in the shaping of Army's future leaders. Assigned to this task - and ensuring the high standards of the delivery of that training - is an experienced Army officer known as the Director of Military Art.
1911-14: Lieutenant Colonel C.W. Gwynn, CMG, DSO
1915: Lieutenant Colonel A.H. Bridges
1915-17: Lieutenant Colonel E.F. Harrison
1918: Brigadier General H.J. Foster
1918-20: Lieutenant Colonel E.H. Reynolds, OBE
1920-24: Lieutenant Colonel J.D. Lavarack, CMG, DSO
1924-25: Lieutenant Colonel C.G.N Miles, CMG, DSO
1925-27: Lieutenant Colonel F.H. Farebrothcr
1927-28: Lieutenant Colonel A.L. Ransome, DSO, MC
1928-30: Lieutenant Colonel G.C. Stubbs, DSO
1930-33: Lieutenant Colonel D.H. Pratt, DSO, MC
1933-34: Lieutenant Colonel R.M. Scobie, MC
1934-39: Lieutenant Colonel H.C.H. Robertson, DSO (1914)
1939: Lieutenant Colonel E.L. Vowles, MC (1914)
1939-40: Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Legge, DSO, MC (1914)
1940: Lieutenant Colonel K.A. McKenzie, DSO (1914)
1940-42: Lieutenant Colonel L. Richardson (1917)
1942-43: Lieutenant Colonel D.D. Pitt (1929)
1943-44: Lieutenant Colonel R.R. McNicoll (1926)
1944-45: Lieutenant Colonel J.C.W. O'Connor (1928)
1945-49: Lieutenant Colonel J.W. Fletcher (1927)
1949-51: Lieutenant Colonel T.J. Daly, DSO, OBE (1933)
1951-53: Lieutenant Colonel S.J. Bleechmore (1936)
1953-58: Colonel F.G. Hassett, DSO, MVO, OBE (1938)
1958-60: Colonel H.G. Bates, OBE (1938)
1960-64: Colonel P.L. Tancred (1940)
1964-65: Colonel G.D. Solomon, OBE (1940)
1965-68: Colonel J.W. Norrie, OBE (1942)
1968-70: Colonel M.T. Tripp, OBE (1944)
1970-74: Colonel J.M. Maxwell, OBE (1942)
1974-76: Colonel K.J. Taylor (1950)
1976-79: Colonel A. Clunies-Ross, MBE (1955)
1979-81: Colonel J. Essex-Clark
1981-82: Colonel M.P. Blake, AM, MC (1960)
1983-85: Colonel B.H. Mitchell (1962)
1985-87: Colonel R.M. Earle (1964)
1987-90: Colonel G.R. Wainwright (1965)
1990-92: Colonel P.D. Gibbons, AM (1968)
1992-94: Colonel M.W. Meecham (1972)
1994-96: Colonel D.J. Harris (WRAAC OCS 1975)
1996-99: Colonel G.J. Byles (OCS 1972)
1999-2001: Colonel C.G. Appleton (1978)
2001-03: Colonel C.I. Evans, AM (1981)
2003-05: Colonel J.J. Sengelman, DSC, CSC (OCS 1981)
2005-07: Colonel P.D. Clay, CSC (OCS 1983)
2007-08: Lieutenant Colonel J.P. Dooley (RMC Kingston)
2008: Colonel M.A. Smethurst, DSC, AM (1986)
2008-10: Colonel G.D. Stockton, AM (1988)
2011-2013: Colonel J. Simeoni (1990)
2014: Colonel D. Huxley, DSC (1991)
2015-2016: Colonel R. Vagg (1993)
2016-2018: Colonel Leonard Oei (1995)
2019-present: Colonel Chris Alder (1995)
Year in parenthesis denotes graduation from RMC-D.
The Adjutant is the principal staff officer to the commander and is the senior subaltern in a unit. The role is highly regarded and Adjutants of the Royal Military College - Duntroon have gone on to great things.
Pictured is Brigadier Alexander Forbes, cadet No 2 in the first intake of cadets into RMC upon its opening. Recipient of the Military Cross, and Mentioned-in-Dispatches during WWI, he returned to be Adjutant of RMC-D.
Brigadier Alexander Forbes
1911-16: Lieutenant T.B.W. James
1916-20: Captain G.H. Capes
1920-21: Major K.A. McKenzie, DSO
1921-22: Captain A.M. Forbes, MC
1922-26: Captain R.C.G. Prisk
1926-31: Captain R.C.H. Irving
1931: Captain R.L. Bennett
1931-36: Captain S.T.W. Goodwin
1936- 39: Captain PH.G. Cardale
1939-41: Captain J.W. Fletcher
1941-42: Lieutenant R.A. Hay
1942-44: Major (temporary) N.R. McLeod
1944: Captain C.P. West
1944: Captain P.G. Little
1944-45: Captain T.J. West
1945-46: Major J.C. Wakefield
1946-49: Captain W.T.S. Gordon
1949-50: Captain J.W. Norrie
1950-51: Captain B.A. McDonald, MC
1951-55: Captain J.J. Shelton, MC
1955-57: Captain K.J. O'Neill
1957-59: Captain R.D.F. Lloyd, MC
1959-61: Captain I.R.J. Hodgkinson
1961-63: Captain P.N.D. White
1963-65: Captain P.N. Greenhalgh
1965-68: Captain M.J. Harris
1968: Captain P.A. Mench
1968-70: Captain I.J. Cahill
1970-72: Captain J.R. Brett
1972-74: Captain G.A.C. Chasling
1974-75: Captain S.A. Sainsbury
1975-78: Captain R.W.W. Crawshaw
1978-79: Captain J.J.A. Wallace
1979-81: Captain D.E. Lewis
1982-83: Captain M.J. Fogarty
1984-85: Captain S.J. Thornton
1985-88: Captain R.J. Martin
1988-89: Captain B.J. Fuge
1990-91: Captain S.P. Tulley
1992-94: Captain S. Crafter
1994-95: Captain J.E. McMahon
1996-97: Captain M.N. Smithers
1997: Captain A.D. Gallaway
1998-99: Captain G.G. Gleeson
1999: Captain A.J. Combes
1999-2000: Captain B.J. Hawke
2000-01: Captain P.R. Burns
2001-02: Captain C.R. Smith
2002-03: Captain B.P. Chaloner
2004: Captain L.P. Rouwhorst
2005-06: Captain J.A. Roderick
2006-07: Captain R.G. Kirk-Lauritsen
2007-08: Captain C.P. Wallace
2008-09: Captain K.B. Thomas
2009-10: Captain A.W. Gower
2010-11: Captain M.J. Kearns
2012: Captain D.W. Cowan
2013: Captain K.A.Dunne
2014-: Captain J. Brook
2015: Captain A. Hicks
2016-2017: Captain J. Westhorpe
2018: Captain N. Ludwick
2019-Present: Captain B. Watson
The Regimental Sergeant Major is the senior soldier of a unit and key advisor to the Commander. The role of RSM at Royal Military College - Duntroon is significant in that he or she shapes the manner in which Army's future leaders view, and interact with, the soldiers of our Service. The roll of RSMs of RMC-D contains distinguished soldiers, past and present.
1911-28: Sergeant Major H.V. Chumleigh
1928-31: Warrant Officer Class One A.H. Wilson
1931-33: Warrant Officer Class One A.T. Mortimer
1933-35: Warrant Officer Class One G. Webster, DCM
1935-38: Warrant Officer Class One J.W. Hanlin, MBE
1938-40: Warrant Officer Class One A.T. Mortimer
1940-42: Warrant Officer Class One A.H. Wilson
1942: Warrant Officer Class One T.N.P. Callaghan
1942-43: Warrant Officer Class One A.S. Cropper
1943-44: Warrant Officer Class One B.H. Cupitt
1944: Warrant Officer Class One G.J. Wood
1944-46: Warrant Officer Class One G.J. Watson, MBE
1946: Warrant Officer Class One G.J. Wood
1946-54: Warrant Officer Class One G.J. Watson, MBE
1955: Warrant Officer Class One R. MacDonald, MM
1955-61: Warrant Officer Class One P.G. Steer
1961-67: Warrant Officer Class One T.L. Muggleton, MBE
1967-71: Warrant Officer Class One N.H. Goldspink, MBE
1971-73: Warrant Officer Class One L.A. Williams
1974-76: Warrant Officer Class One C.H. Swinbourn, OAM
1977-80: Warrant Officer Class One A.J. Bretherton, OAM
1981-83: Warrant Officer Class One N.R. Eiby, OAM
1984-86: Warrant Officer Class One B.A. Smith, OAM
1987-89: Warrant Officer Class One J.W. Burns
1990-92: Warrant Officer Class One G.R. Hansen
1993-94: Warrant Officer Class One C.N. Lee, OAM
1995-98: Warrant Officer Class One J. Selmes, OAM
1999-2000: Warrant Officer Class One B.J. Hatfield
2001-02: Warrant Officer Class One B.J. Martin, OAM
2003-04: Warrant Officer Class One A. Gillman, CSM
2005-06: Warrant Officer Class One K. Golden
2007-08: Warrant Officer Class One R. Aboud
2009-10: Warrant Officer Class One G.S. Burns
2011: Warrant Officer Class One K. Bullman, OAM
2012-2014: Warrant Officer Class One M. Burgess, OAM
2015: Warrant Officer Class One P.T Bodsworth, OAM
2016-2017: Warrant Officer Class One B. Heenan, OAM
2018-Present: Warrant Officer Class One A. Shore, CSM