Bill Forsyth (diplomat)

Bill Forsyth OBE
Born	William Douglass Forsyth 1909 Casterton, Victoria
Died	3 March 1993 (aged 84)
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of Melbourne (BA (Hons)
Occupation(s)	Public servant, diplomat

William Douglass Forsyth OBE (1909 – 3 March 1993) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.[1][2] Over the course of his tenure, he was noted for his work both within the United Nations, and in promoting Southern Pacific countries internationally. In 1959, Forsyth was appointed Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, a role which he served in until 1961.[3] During his appointment, he was also appointed Minister to Laos.[4]

Forsyth died on 3 March 1993, aged 84, in Canberra.[5]

Early life

Forsyth was born in Casterton, Victoria where he spent his childhood. He attended Ballarat High School, and after graduation obtained his degree in political science and history.[2]

References

1. Forsyth, William Douglass; Pratt, Mel. (Interviewer) (1972), Interview with Mr. William Douglass Forsyth, diplomat, retrieved 21 February 2016 {{citation}}: |author2= has generic name (help)
2. "Obituary: William Douglass Forsyth, OBE: A distinguished diplomat". The Canberra Times. ACT. p. 12.
3. "Ambassador to Vietnam appointed". The Canberra Times. ACT. 2 July 1959. p. 2.
4. "Appointed Minister to Laos". The Canberra Times. ACT. 2 October 1959. p. 20.
5. Gaind, Rama (29 May 1993). "Prime site near the lake". The Canberra Times. ACT.

Further reading

• 'Forsyth, William Douglass (1909–1993)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/forsyth-william-douglass-27737/text35938
• William Douglas Forsyth, The Myth of Open Spaces: Australian, British and World Trends of Population and Migration, MUP/OUP, Melbourne/London, 1942.
• Chad J. Mitcham, 'Forsyth, William Douglass (1909–1993)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/forsyth-william-douglass-27737/text35421, published online 2018.
• National Library of Australia, MS 5700: 'Papers of William Douglass Forsyth, 1875–1993'.
• 'Obituary: WILLIAM DOUGLASS FORSYTH, OBE', The Canberra Times, 8 March 1993, p. 12, https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/127200531.
• South Pacific Commission. Meeting House of the Pacific: The Story of the SPC, 1947–2007, Nouméa, New Caledonia: SPC Secretariat, 2007.

Diplomatic posts
Preceded by Mick Shann as Acting Representative	Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations 1951–1956	Succeeded by Edward Ronald Walker
Preceded by Frederick Blakeney as Australian Minister to Vietnam and Laos	Australian Ambassador to Vietnam 1959–1961	Succeeded by Brian Hill
	Australian Minister to Laos 1959–1960	Succeeded by Arthur Morris
Preceded by D.J. Kingsmill as Chargé d'affaires	Australian Ambassador to Lebanon 1967–1970	Succeeded by Neil Truscott