1371:
572:. The Japanese landed in East Timor on the night of 19–20 February, and the 2/2nd Independent Company retreated into the hills, where it waged guerrilla warfare against the Japanese. Back in Australia, Dexter was reported missing, but contact with East Timor was restored in June, and his family was informed that he was alive and well. The 2/2nd Independent Company was relieved by the
527:
33:
1383:
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with the rank of major. Before taking up his command he attended a tactical school course from 17 June to 29 July. The instructors were impressed with his confident bearing, but felt that his experience outside the commandos was limited, and that he required more experience in handling supporting
270:, where it waged a guerrilla war against the Japanese after they invaded the island in February 1942. He returned to Australia with the unit in December. In June 1943 it was sent to New Guinea, where Dexter was wounded while carrying out an ambush on a Japanese force. In 1945, it went to
776:(ANU). In this role he oversaw a major construction program that included the construction of the Leonard Huxley, A. D. Hope and John Dedman buildings, Melville Hall, the Coombs Theatre, Graduate House, Toad Hall, and the cricket and football ovals.
628:, inflicting severe casualties on the Japanese, and was wounded in this action. He was mentioned in despatches again for his service in New Guinea. Dexter returned to Australia on 2 March 1944, and was seconded to
1008:"Dexter David St Alban : Service Number - VX38890 : Date of birth - 08 Jan 1917 : Place of birth - St Albans England : Place of enlistment - Royal Park Vic : Next of Kin - Dexter W"
576:. Dexter, who was promoted to the temporary rank of captain on 4 July, and the substantive rank on 1 September, became the commander of A Platoon. The 2/2nd Independent Company was taken off by the Dutch
428:. He lasted a year but after a series of mishaps he decided that this was not his line of work, and he resolved to go to university. He accepted an appointment as a student teacher at Grimwade House at
768:
In 1960, Dexter became the secretary of the
Australian Universities Commission. This was a period of major expansion of the Australian universities system. He helped chairman of the commission, Sir
639:
He rejoined his unit, now styled the 2/2nd
Commando Squadron, on 1 December 1944. He was now the second in command. On 9 April 1945, the 2/2nd Commando Squadron embarked from Brisbane for
624:
in the highlands, where it patrolled and conducted raids and ambushes. On 28 September, Dexter led a heavily armed patrol that ambushed about 60 Japanese soldiers near
Kesawai in the
664:
on 6 December. His AIF appointment was terminated on 17 January 1946, and he was transferred to the
Reserve of Officers. He was placed on the retired list on 29 February 1964.
1443:
1423:
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308:
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292:
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354:(AIF). The family returned to Australia in 1920, where his father's AIF appointment was terminated. His father decided to become a farmer, and he took up a
1413:
772:
write a report into
Australian universities, the recommendations of which were adopted. In 1967 Dexter became the Registrar (Property and Plans) at the
1007:
319:
and the United
Nations. He became the secretary of the Australian Universities Commission in 1960, and then the Registrar (Property and Plans) at the
689:
296:
1438:
1428:
632:
in
Melbourne on 22 April 1944. That month he became engaged to Freda Doris Irene Harper, a teacher, and they were married at St Mark's Church in
1337:
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808:
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284:
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909:
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Like so many others, Dexter's father's farming venture was a failure. He then returned to the church in 1923, and the family moved to a
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275:
263:
179:
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437:
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465:
255:
745:, the historian of the Great War, assembling documents in chronological order into six master diaries. Most of Dexter's volume
697:
602:
351:
304:
901:
773:
355:
320:
727:
and the United
Nations. In 1946 Dexter had accepted a commission from the official historian of the Second World War at the
343:
Walter Ernest Dexter, and his wife Dora
Stirling, née Roadknight. His father was on active service at the time as an Army
715:
In 1955 Dexter became the head of the department's foreign aid branch. As such, he worked closely with the new minister,
473:
410:
83:
1361:
716:
539:
601:
on 8 January 1943 to help it prepare a terrain study of East Timor. He rejoined the 2/2nd
Independent Company at
448:, so he did this year full-time. He was able to live with his parents, as his father had taken up the parish in
580:
489:
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212:
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227:
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681:
394:
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1408:
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656:, and he assumed command on 2 August. The war ended soon after, and he embarked for Australia on the
633:
504:
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244:
207:
1183:. Vol. 66, no. 20, 800. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 March 1992. p. 20
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449:
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202:
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520:
311:. As the head of the department's foreign aid branch, he was involved in the formulation of the
749:
was based on the unit war diaries. He wrote most of it while he was the first secretary of the
1341:
1308:
1279:
967:"David Dexter interviewed by Mel Pratt for the Mel Pratt collection [sound recording]"
923:
915:
905:
846:
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636:, where his father was the minister, on 29 September. They would have five children together.
429:
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344:
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on a scholarship for sons of the clergy, but as a day student in his final years. He played
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192:
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16:
Australian military historian, soldier, diplomat and university administrator (1917–1992)
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1327:
969:(Interview). Interviewed by Mel Pratt. National Library of Australia. nla.obj-221579220
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381:, an exclusive private school. Dexter was there from 1930 to 1935, initially as a
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300:
271:
891:
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arms. His assignment was changed to command of the 2/4th Commando Squadron on
606:
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402:
274:. Shortly before the end of the war in August 1945, he assumed command of the
259:
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787:, on 15 March 1992, and his remains were cremated. His papers are in the
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in 1940. He volunteered for commando training. He was commissioned as a
754:
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543:
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from Geelong Grammar, Dexter took a job in a furniture business run by
398:
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340:
243:(8 January 1917 – 15 March 1992) was an Australian military historian,
653:
542:. On 17 February 1942, with Japan now in the war, it embarked for
525:
1150:. No. 30, 456. Victoria, Australia. 8 April 1944. p. 10
534:
In October 1941, the 2/2nd Independent Company moved by train to
558:
783:, a history of the ANU site, in 1991. He died at his home in
597:, Dexter was seconded to the Allied Geographical Section in
723:
and developed foreign aid programs in conjunction with the
696:, accompanying him to the second and third sessions of the
315:
and developed foreign aid programs in conjunction with the
303:, accompanying him to the second and third sessions of the
779:
Dexter retired on 1 May 1978. He published a second book,
432:, which he did while he studied French and history at the
761:
from 1952 to 1955. In 1959 he became a counsellor to the
704:. Dexter dealt with important issues of the day like the
643:. On 12 June 1945, he was appointed the commander of the
900:. Vol. 19. Canberra: National Centre of Biography,
523:
on 11 July. He assumed command of 1 Section, A Platoon.
339:, England, the second of five sons and one daughter of
1359:
331:
David St Alban Dexter was born on 8 January 1917 at
1304:
South West Pacific Area - First Year: Kokoda to Wau
586:, and he returned to Darwin on 17 December. He was
223:
185:
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165:
155:
147:
135:
109:
99:
94:
68:
42:
23:
1175:"Obituary: David Dexter Public servant, war hero"
791:and the Australian National University Archives.
741:series. Dexter consciously copied the methods of
401:. His contemporaries at Geelong Grammar included
702:President of the United Nations General Assembly
488:. The 23rd Brigade was later transferred to the
309:President of the United Nations General Assembly
282:. He later wrote the New Guinea volume of the
1130:(1st supplement). 6 March 1945. p. 1305.
700:in 1947 and 1948, and helping him become the
307:in 1947 and 1948, and helping him become the
8:
1086:(1st supplement). 25 May 1943. p. 2374.
835:. Canberra: Australian National University.
719:. He was involved in the formulation of the
605:on 8 March, and on 16 June it embarked from
503:in a Melbourne pub, Dexter volunteered for
377:. Dexter and his four brothers all attended
266:. The 2/2nd Independent Company was sent to
1169:
1167:
1165:
436:part-time. He also played football for the
373:. In 1927, they relocated to the parish of
1191:– via National Library of Australia.
1158:– via National Library of Australia.
672:Dexter received an invitation to join the
511:on 7 March 1941. He was commissioned as a
31:
20:
1444:People educated at Geelong Grammar School
1424:Australian Army personnel of World War II
247:, diplomat and university administrator.
1449:Military personnel from Victoria (state)
1064:
1052:
735:, to write the New Guinea volume of the
468:on 8 October 1940, and was assigned the
1366:
1212:
1210:
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480:, on 19 October. This was part of the
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954:
952:
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1340:. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
1307:. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
1278:. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
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811:. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
763:Australian High Commissioner to India
7:
1201:
892:"Dexter, David St Alban (1917–1992)"
785:Turner, Australian Capital Territory
751:Australian High Commission to Ceylon
706:establishment of the State of Israel
725:South East Asia Treaty Organization
317:South East Asia Treaty Organization
1414:20th-century Australian historians
1219:"Obituary - David St Alban Dexter"
897:Australian Dictionary of Biography
438:Melbourne University Football Club
14:
1338:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
1276:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
809:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
738:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
291:After the war, Dexter joined the
285:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
116:Australia in the War of 1939–1945
1381:
1369:
1243:. Australian National University
1010:. National Archives of Australia
538:, and then, in January 1942, to
466:Second Australian Imperial Force
256:Second Australian Imperial Force
698:United Nations General Assembly
590:for his service on East Timor.
352:First Australian Imperial Force
305:United Nations General Assembly
1439:University of Melbourne alumni
1429:Australian military historians
902:Australian National University
774:Australian National University
674:Department of External Affairs
492:. After a chance meeting with
472:VX38890. He was posted to the
321:Australian National University
293:Department of External Affairs
1:
1217:Mackie, J. A. C.; Ross, Ian.
690:Minister for External Affairs
688:. He worked closely with the
620:. From there it was flown to
593:After hospital treatment for
456:degree with honours in 1940.
417:was a friend of his brother.
297:Minister for External Affairs
295:. He worked closely with the
84:Australian Capital Territory
103:Australian military history
1465:
1434:Historians of World War II
890:McKernan, Michael (2021).
1018:– via RecordSearch.
804:The New Guinea Offensives
747:The New Guinea Offensives
574:2/4th Independent Company
517:2/2nd Independent Company
474:2/21st Infantry Battalion
264:2/2nd Independent Company
254:, Dexter enlisted in the
234:
130:
126:
122:
90:
30:
1419:Australian Army officers
757:, where he served under
476:, which was training at
789:Australian War Memorial
729:Australian War Memorial
645:2/7th Commando Squadron
588:mentioned in despatches
515:and transferred to the
497:Freddie Spencer Chapman
434:University of Melbourne
393:, served in the school
276:2/4th Commando Squadron
262:and transferred to the
252:University of Melbourne
250:A 1940 graduate of the
228:mentioned in despatches
180:2/4th Commando Squadron
1221:. Obituaries Australia
831:Dexter, David (1991).
801:Dexter, David (1961).
682:departmental secretary
531:
507:training. He became a
405:and his brother Alan,
1241:"David Dexter Papers"
1147:The Argus (Melbourne)
529:
426:Maurice Arnold Nathan
241:David St Alban Dexter
148:Years of service
634:Camberwell, Victoria
444:persuaded him to do
208:New Britain campaign
1333:The Japanese Thrust
1271:The Final Campaigns
1111:, pp. 434–435.
1099:, pp. 242–243.
1067:, pp. 616–618.
1055:, pp. 598–611.
1031:, pp. 467–469.
565:on the Dutch ship,
557:. It then moved to
478:Bonegilla, Victoria
450:Footscray, Victoria
387:Australian football
203:New Guinea campaign
1180:The Canberra Times
1127:The London Gazette
1083:The London Gazette
532:
521:Wilsons Promontory
464:Dexter joined the
452:. He received his
356:soldier settlement
911:978-0-522-84459-7
842:978-0-7315-1216-4
430:Melbourne Grammar
360:Kilsyth, Victoria
345:Church of England
278:with the rank of
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213:Battle of Tarakan
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563:Portuguese Timor
460:Second World War
454:Bachelor of Arts
371:Romsey, Victoria
268:Portuguese Timor
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411:David Fairbairn
379:Geelong Grammar
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323:(ANU) in 1967.
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198:Battle of Timor
142:Australian Army
131:Military career
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1204:, p. 261.
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833:The ANU Campus
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781:The ANU Campus
710:Berlin airlift
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630:Z Special Unit
530:Dexter in 1943
470:service number
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375:Lara, Victoria
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100:Main interests
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76:(aged 75)
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1066:
1065:McCarthy 1959
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1053:McCarthy 1959
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770:Leslie Martin
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717:Richard Casey
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113:Volume VI of
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110:Notable works
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95:Academic work
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72:15 March 1992
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62:
61:Hertfordshire
58:
45:
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37:1958 portrait
34:
29:
22:
19:
1349:. Retrieved
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1316:. Retrieved
1303:
1287:. Retrieved
1270:
1245:. Retrieved
1235:
1223:. Retrieved
1197:
1185:. Retrieved
1178:
1152:. Retrieved
1145:
1136:
1125:
1116:
1104:
1092:
1081:
1072:
1060:
1048:
1041:Wigmore 1957
1036:
1029:Wigmore 1957
1024:
1012:. Retrieved
971:. Retrieved
931:. Retrieved
895:
832:
820:. Retrieved
803:
795:Bibliography
780:
778:
767:
759:Roden Cutler
746:
743:Charles Bean
736:
721:Colombo Plan
714:
686:William Dunk
671:
661:
658:Victory ship
638:
618:Port Moresby
612:
592:
583:Tjerk Hiddes
582:
568:
549:
533:
501:Mike Calvert
490:8th Division
486:7th Division
482:23rd Brigade
463:
442:Max Crawford
419:
397:, and was a
367:clergy house
364:
330:
313:Colombo Plan
290:
283:
249:
240:
239:
186:Battles/wars
114:
74:(1992-03-15)
25:David Dexter
18:
1409:1992 deaths
1404:1917 births
1266:Long, Gavin
1122:"No. 36972"
1109:Dexter 1961
1097:Dexter 1961
1078:"No. 36031"
694:H. V. Evatt
641:New Britain
626:Ramu Valley
581:HNLMS
567:HNLMS
553:as part of
415:John Gorton
358:block near
301:H. V. Evatt
272:New Britain
1398:Categories
1259:References
733:Gavin Long
607:Townsville
513:lieutenant
499:and Major
403:Dick Hamer
395:cadet unit
327:Early life
260:lieutenant
49:1917-01-08
1388:Biography
1376:Australia
1346:225740341
1313:980525288
1247:25 August
1225:24 August
1202:Long 1963
1187:26 August
1154:26 August
1014:24 August
973:24 August
933:24 August
920:1833-7538
817:220806033
680:from the
622:Bena Bena
578:destroyer
569:Soerabaja
550:Zealandia
407:David Hay
350:with the
333:St Albans
151:1940–1946
63:, England
57:St Albans
1351:25 March
1330:(1957).
1318:25 March
1301:(1959).
1289:25 March
1268:(1963).
928:70677943
851:27542214
822:25 March
708:and the
678:Canberra
668:Post-war
613:Duntroon
611:MV
603:Canungra
599:Brisbane
548:SS
536:Adelaide
509:sergeant
505:commando
348:chaplain
288:series.
245:commando
176:Commands
136:Service/
80:Canberra
1362:Portals
1284:1297619
755:Colombo
650:Tarakan
609:on the
595:malaria
546:on the
544:Koepang
484:of the
446:honours
399:prefect
391:cricket
383:boarder
341:Colonel
171:VX38890
1344:
1311:
1282:
926:
918:
908:
849:
839:
815:
654:Borneo
540:Darwin
420:After
224:Awards
138:branch
859:Notes
494:Major
280:major
160:Major
1353:2019
1342:OCLC
1320:2019
1309:OCLC
1291:2019
1280:OCLC
1249:2022
1227:2022
1189:2022
1156:2022
1016:2022
975:2022
935:2022
924:OCLC
916:ISSN
906:ISBN
847:OCLC
837:ISBN
824:2019
813:OCLC
559:Dili
409:and
389:and
156:Rank
69:Died
43:Born
753:in
676:in
660:SS
652:in
561:in
519:at
369:in
230:(2)
1400::
1336:.
1274:.
1209:^
1177:.
1164:^
1144:.
1124:.
1080:.
983:^
943:^
922:.
914:.
904:.
894:.
866:^
845:.
807:.
765:.
731:,
712:.
692:,
684:,
440:.
413:;
362:.
335:,
299:,
82:,
59:,
1364::
1355:.
1322:.
1293:.
1251:.
1229:.
977:.
937:.
853:.
826:.
51:)
47:(
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