Alan Stretton (b. 1922) enlisted in the Australian Army in 1940 as a private and retired as a Major-General in 1978 being one of the few Australian generals to rise from the ranks. His appointments include Commanding Officer Australian Battalion Malaya (1961-63); Chief of Staff, Australian Force, Vietnam (1969-70); and Member of the Australian National Intelligence Committee (1972-74). As Director-General of the Natural Disasters Organisation, he became known nationally for his role as Commander, Darwin Relief Operation, following the devastation of Cyclone Tracy in December 1974. Following this, in 1975, Stretton was named Australian of the Year as well as Father of the Year.
Gwen Pratt FRAS initially studied under J.S. Watkins; then Henry Gibbons; at the Julian Ashton School, and with Joshua Smith from 1958.
Collection: National Portrait Gallery
Gift of the Stretton family 1999
Donated through the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program
© Gwendolene E. Pratt
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