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John Grey

b. 1939

Australian Army officer, born 1939

Military officer James Cook University
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About John Grey

Born 1939. John Grey is an Australian military officer and james Cook University.

Lieutenant General John Cedric Grey, AC (born 31 January 1939) is a retired senior officer of the Australian Army who served as Chief of the General Staff from 1992 to 1995. He later served as Chancellor of James Cook University from 1999 to 2016.

Early life Grey was born in Sydney, New South Wales, on 31 January 1939, to Aubrey Cedric and Dacia Downing Grey. He was educated at St Andrew's Cathedral School and Sydney Grammar School, then entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon as an officer cadet in 1957.

Military career Grey was posted to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and, as a captain, was deployed to Vietnam for which he was belatedly awarded the Commendation for Distinguished Service. By 1984 he had been promoted to colonel and made Director of Co-ordination at the Department of Defence.

He became Assistant Chief of Defence Force, Logistics and was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in 1991 for service in that role.

He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1992

Retirement In retirement, he established his own consultancy business based in Cairns. He also served as a Non-Executive Director of Tarong Energy and as Chancellor of James Cook University.

Honours, awards and qualifications Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) 12 June 1995 Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) 26 January 1991 Commendation for Distinguished Service 3 June 1998 Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management (F.A.I.M.) Graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (G.A.I.D.C.) National Defence College (India) (N.D.C.(I).) Joint Services Staff College (Australia) (J.S.S.C.)

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Important facts

Born
1939, Sydney
Birth century
Nationality
Education
Sydney Grammar School, Royal Military College
Employers
James Cook University
Awards
Commendation for Distinguished Service; National Medal; Officer of the Order of Australia; Companion of the Order of Australia
Also known as
John Cedric Grey

People in John Grey's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Grey's

Frequently asked questions

Who is John Grey?

Australian Army officer, born 1939

When was John Grey born?

John Grey was born in 1939 in Sydney.

What is John Grey's occupation?

John Grey is a military officer and james Cook University.

What nationality is John Grey?

John Grey is Australian.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: John Grey

Β· Wikidata: Q6236320

Β· DBpedia: John Grey (Australian general)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Grey. https://biography.guide/john-grey-military-officer/

MLA: "John Grey." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-grey-military-officer/.

Chicago: "John Grey." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-grey-military-officer/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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