BENNETT, George Angus OBE (1926-2006)
George Angus Bennett was born on 24 March 1926 at Myrtleford, the son of George Frederick Bennett and Frances May (nee Cruickshank) Bennett. He was a boarder at Geelong College from 10 February 1937 to December 1939 and had previously attended Mirboo North Higher Elementary School.
During World War II, he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) on 31 January 1940.
Pegasus Magazine of December 1945 reported: 'On VP (Victory Pacific) night Sub-Lieutenant G Angus Bennett RAN was entangled in the celebrations in Piccadilly and saw the King and Queen appear on the balcony at Buckingham Palace. He went on from London to watch the fifth 'Victory' Test at Manchester.'
In June 1952 Pegasus reported:
'Lt (E) G A Bennett RAN, with his wife and small son, returns to Australia after a second term of nearly four years in England. During this time he spent two years at Greenwich Staff College doing the long 'dagger' course in engineering and some months at Portsmouth on a gunnery engineering course. For about the last eight months he has been Acting Technical Liaison Officer at HMA Naval Depot, Canberra House, London.'
Ad Astra of May 1979 reported: 'George Bennett who previously held the rank of Commodore and the position of General Manager of the Williamstown Naval Dockyard was promoted to Rear-Admiral as from February 12, and became Chief of Naval Technical Services at Navy Office, Canberra.'
He retired from the RAN Headquarters on 8 December 1980, holding the rank of Rear Admiral, and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
Sources: Ad Astra May 1979 p4; Sydney Morning Herald 30 March 1996; 'Geelong Collegians at the Second World War and Subesequent Conflicts' compiled by James Affleck p 561 (citing The Pegasus; Australian War Memorial; National Archives). OGC 1939