Harold Breen

Harold Breen CBE
Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development
In office 31 July 1949 – 16 March 1950
Secretary of the Department of Supply
In office 17 March 1950 – 10 May 1951
Secretary of the Department of Defence Production
In office 11 May 1951 – 8 August 1957
Personal details
Born	Harold Patrick Breen (1893-04-30)30 April 1893 Richmond, Melbourne
Died	6 July 1966(1966-07-06) (aged 73) Malvern, Melbourne
Resting place	St Kilda Cemetery
Nationality	Australian
Spouse(s)	Agnes Rose O'Sullivan (m. 1916–1923; her death) Rosa Marguerita Maree Carrodus (m. 1930–1934; her death) Constance Jessie Gillespie (m. 1957–1966; his death)
Occupation	Public servant

Harold Patrick Breen CBE (30 April 1893 – 6 July 1966) was a senior Australian public servant. He was head of the Department of Defence Production between 1951 and 1957.

Life and career

Harold Breen was born on 30 April 1893 in Richmond, Melbourne.[1]

He commenced his Commonwealth Public Service career in 1910 in the Department of Defence in the Ordnance Department.[2]

Rising up the ranks, he was appointed Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development in July 1949,[3] and later head of the Department of Supply in 1950.[4]

When the Department of Defence Production was established in 1951, Breen was appointed as its inaugural head.[5] He remained in the position until his retirement in 1957.[1]

Breen died in Malvern on 6 July 1966 and was buried in St Kilda Cemetery.[1]

Awards

Breen was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1953 during his time as head of the Defence Production Department.[6]

References

1. Blaazer, D.P. (1993), "Breen, Harold Patrick (1893–1966)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Australian National University, archived from the original on 1 September 2014
2. CP 182: Harold Patrick BREEN CBE, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 16 March 2016, retrieved 1 September 2014
3. CA 54: Department of Supply and Development, Central Office [II], National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 22 February 2015, retrieved 1 September 2014
4. CA 57: Department of Supply, Central Office, National Archives of Australia, archived from the original on 2 August 2020, retrieved 1 September 2014
5. CA 58: Department of Defence Production, Central Administration, National Archives of Australia, retrieved 1 September 2014^[permanent dead link‍]
6. "Search Australian Honours: BREEN, Harold Patrick", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 1 September 2014

Government offices
Preceded by John Jensen	Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development 1949 – 1950	Succeeded by Charles Hector McFadyen as Secretary of the Department of Fuel, Shipping and Transport
		Succeeded by Robert Jackson as Secretary of the Department of National Development
		Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Supply
Preceded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Supply and Development	Secretary of the Department of Supply 1950 – 1951	Succeeded by Jack Stevens
		Succeeded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Defence Production
Preceded by Himself as Secretary of the Department of Supply	Secretary of the Department of Defence Production 1951–1957	Succeeded by John Knott