Alan Stretton facts for kids

Major General Alan Bishop Stretton (born 30 September 1922 – died 26 October 2012) was a very important officer in the Australian Army. He became famous for leading the huge cleanup and rescue efforts in Darwin after Cyclone Tracy hit on Christmas Day in 1974.

As the boss of the National Disasters Organisation, he helped move 35,000 people to safety in just six days. This included putting 673 passengers, mostly children, onto one jumbo jet. This was a world record for the most people ever on a single plane at that time!

Early Life and School

Alan Stretton was born in Melbourne, Victoria, on 30 September 1922. He went to two schools: Caulfield Grammar School and Scotch College, Melbourne. After finishing school, he went to the Royal Military College, Duntroon, which is a special college for training army officers.

Playing Football

Before his military career really took off, Alan Stretton was also a talented football player. In 1946 and 1947, he played 16 games of Australian rules football for the St Kilda team in the Victorian Football League. He joined the team after leaving Duntroon.

His Military Career

Alan Stretton served in the Australian Army for a long time, from 1940 to 1978.

He was a platoon commander in the 2/9th Battalion during the Second World War. Later, he served in the Korean War from 1954 to 1955. He was given an award called the Member of the Order of the British Empire for his service.

From 1961 to 1963, he was the commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Malaya. He received another award, Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in 1965.

Stretton served three times during the Vietnam War, in 1962, 1966, and 1967. He helped plan administrative tasks and later became the chief of staff for the Australian forces there. For his excellent work in Vietnam, he was given the Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971. He also received awards from the South Vietnamese government and the United States.

While serving in Malaya and Vietnam, he studied law by mail. He graduated from the University of Queensland in 1966. He then became a lawyer in 1969.

In 1971, Stretton was promoted to brigadier. From 1972 to 1974, he worked in intelligence, helping to gather important information for Australia.

Hero of Cyclone Tracy

Alan Stretton became very well known for his leadership during and after Cyclone Tracy. This powerful cyclone destroyed much of Darwin on Christmas Day in 1974.

He was put in charge of the huge effort to help the city recover. This included getting thousands of people safely out of Darwin. His quick actions saved many lives and helped the city begin to rebuild.

In 1975, because of his amazing work, Alan Stretton was named Australian of the Year along with Sir John Cornforth.

After leaving the army in 1978, he wrote two books about his experiences: The Furious Days: The Relief of Darwin and Soldier in the Storm. He continued to work as a lawyer in Canberra for many years.

In 1999, he visited Darwin again for only the second time since the cyclone. He gave his special awards, including his Australian of the Year award, to the people of Darwin. This was a way to show his respect and thanks.

Alan Stretton passed away on 26 October 2012, at the age of 90, in Batemans Bay, New South Wales.

See also

• List of Caulfield Grammar School people