Lawrence O'Donnell (general)

Lawrence George O'Donnell
Born	(1933-01-17) 17 January 1933 (age 91) Quairading, Western Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Service / branch	Australian Army
Years of service	1952–1990
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands	Chief of the General Staff (1987–90) Land Commander Australia (1986–87) Field Force Command (1985–86) Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1984–85)
Battles / wars	Malayan Emergency Vietnam War
Awards	Companion of the Order of Australia Mentioned in Despatches
Other work	President, National Rifle Association of Australia (1990–06)[1]

Lieutenant General Lawrence George O'Donnell AC (born 17 January 1933) was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served as Chief of the General Staff (1987–1990).

Military career

As an exchange troop leader O'Donnell served with 1st King's Dragoon Guards and was dispatched as part of the British Army response to the Malayan Emergency in 1957.[2]

He was posted to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and, as a major, was deployed to Vietnam where he was Mentioned in Despatches.[3]

He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1987 and made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1989 for service to the Australian Army in this role.[4]

In retirement he became Chairman of a campaign to build a permanent monument in Canberra to commemorate the contributions of migrants to Australia.[5] In 2000 he shot for Australia at Bisley, captaining the Kolapore Team.[6]

References

1. "The NRAA President". NRAA History. National Rifle Association of Australia. 24 May 2022. Archived from the original on 10 August 2022. Retrieved 10 March 2023.
2. Interview by Colonel David Chinn MBE (Rtd) Archived 5 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine Australian War Memorial
3. Lawrence George O'DONNELL Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans, www.vietnamroll.gov.au
4. Companion of the Order of Australia, 12 June 1989, It's an Honour
5. "Immigration Bridge Australia". Archived from the original on 18 April 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
6. "Kolapore Results - 2000-Present" (PDF). National Rifle Association. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2023.

Military offices
Preceded by Lieutenant General Peter Gration	Chief of the General Staff 1987–1990	Succeeded by Lieutenant General John Coates
Preceded by Major General Peter Gration	Deputy Chief of the General Staff 1984–1985	Succeeded by Major General Peter Day