Community will acknowledge centenary of Monash knighthood
Although recent attempts for a posthumous elevation to Field Marshall for Sir John Monash appear to have been stymied, the Victorian Jewish community will hold a celebratory lunch at the St Kilda Shule hall on Sunday 5th August to mark 100 years since the knighthood of Sir John Monash.
Photo: Australia War Memorial
On 12 August 1918, at Château de Bertangles, Monash was knighted as a KnightCommander of the Order of the Bath on the battlefield by King George V, the first time a British monarch had honoured a commander in such a way in 200 years.
The forthcoming event is co-hosted by St Kilda Shule (where Monash served as a Board member) and VAJEX but sponsorships have been provided by the Pratt Foundation, Gandel Philanthropy and Monash University amongst others.
The 3-course meat lunch by top-class caterer Roquette will also feature Major General Jim Barry, AM, MBE, RFD, ED (Retd), Professor Jeffrey V. Rosenfeld AC OBE KStJ, the Hon Matthew Guy MP, Leader of the Victorian Liberal Party, and presentations by Chazzan Brett Kaye and the St Kilda Shule Choirs.
Major General Barry was President of the Defence Reserves Association 2005 to 2013 and is a founding member of The General Sir John Monash Foundation.
Professor Rosenfeld is a General in the Australian Defence Force aside from being a member of St Kilda Shule and a volunteer in its choir.
Shule Vice President Harold Sternfeld said that he was thrilled that the Shule would honour Sir John Monash in this way and that he was grateful for the support provided by VAJEX and the generous sponsors. “We have already been advised of interstate service personnel coming to Melbourne for the occasion”, he said.
Bookings are available online (www.trybooking/.com/WSAP) or via the Shule office on 9537 1433.
A concession rate is available for current and ex-service personnel.
Incidentally Lt Gen Sir Harry Chauvel was the first Australian promoted to Lt Gen and the first to command a corps – The Desert Mounted Corps in Palestine and Trans-Jordan.
Both Lt Gen Sir John Monash and Lt Gen Sir Harry Chauvel’s knighthoods were well deserved but both were Corps commanders not Army commanders (General) or Army Group commanders (2 or more armies) (Field Marshal). I dont here calls to promote Chauvel to Field Marshal either.
AAfter WW1 Monash went back to civi street and was a very successful in engineering and building while Chauvel stayed on in the Army and it was he who convinced PM Scullen to promote Monash to General in later 1920’s when Chauvel was offered the rank at the same time as the most senior.