Raymond Douglas Huish

Sir Raymond Douglas Huish (7 December 1898 – 26 January 1970) was an Australian returned soldier and ex-servicemen's leader, who served in World War I.

Huish is best known for being a state president of the Returned Services League from 1930 until 1967.

Early life Huish was born in Clifton, Bristol in England and after spending two years in the United States of America, he emigrated to Australia, settling in Rockhampton, Queensland in August 1910 with his parents Edward and Amelia Huish and three siblings, Stanley, Harold, Seymour and Elizabeth.

War service When World War I broke out, Huish enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in 1915, despite being aged just 16. The company presented Huish with a wrist watch, a cheque and a guarantee that his position would remain his upon his return. Huish was involved in the advances through Palestine and Syria, before contracting malaria in the Jordan Valley. who came to Rockhampton from Gympie in an attempt to revive the local sub-branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia and together, they successfully re-formed the branch. Initially just a member on the committee, Huish would become the vice-president of the Rockhampton sub-branch and a joint organising secretary of the first two Diggers' carnivals. in 1930, Huish became the state president.

As state president of the RSL, Huish frequently commented in the press on issues pertaining to the welfare of returned Australian Defence Force personnel, soldier settlement, the legacy of those killed during war, military training, national security, the threat of Communism in Australia, the proper use of the Australian flag and the way the press delivered the news.

In 1946, Huish was a witness at the inquiry into the administration of Australian Comfort Fund's Naval Leave House in Brisbane, where he was questioned over allegations of improper practices at the Australian Comforts Fund, specifically the acquirement of quotes to equip Naval Leave House with items from Buzacott's of which Huish was managing director, such as a public address system and a dance band amplifier. Huish was later completely exonerated, having been cleared of any wrongdoing or misconduct.

In 1950, Huish served as one of three commissioners of the Royal Commission into Golden Casket.

In October 1954, Huish officially opened the 47th conference of the Queensland Country Press Association where he publicly condemned what he perceived to be "sensationalism" of metropolitan newspapers while praising the way more conservative regional newspapers soberly presented themselves and for the way they had assisted the RSL's cause.

Four Corners controversy In September 1963, Huish strongly condemned the Australian Broadcasting Commission for a Four Corners program in which he appeared. As acting national president of the RSL, Huish said the program falsely claimed RSL members and the community were being duped by senior RSL officials, and that the program had presented a "completely distorted" view of the RSL's activities.

Huish also criticised the ABC for appearing to heavily edit his comments during appearance on Four Corners while also accusing the program of completely omitting comments from both the president of the New South Wales branch of the RSL and the acting president of the RSL's Victorian branch who both agreed to appear on the program.

Two weeks later, Huish said the RSL was planning to take legal action against the Church of England's newspaper The Anglican, which had published an editorial praising the Four Corners program. Huish said the RSL found the editorial to be "highly defamatory".

Personal life Huish married Hilda May Weber at Rockhampton's St Joseph's Cathedral on 1 November 1921.

The following year, Huish's younger brother Seymour died.

After his move to Brisbane, Huish appeared in Brisbane Traffic Court in 1930 where he was fined £5 for a speeding offence.

In 1954, Huish and his wife were the victims of a burglary. Thieves allegedly broke into Huish's home in St Lucia while Huish was at a conference in Ipswich but were disturbed when Lady Huish arrived home from a party with her daughter, prompting the alleged thieves to leap from a window to escape.

Following the Coronation of Elizabeth II, Huish was honoured with in the 1953 Coronation Honours by being appointed a Knight Bachelor. At an investiture ceremony during her 1954 tour to Australia, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed Huish with his knighthood in person.

Death Huish died in Brisbane at the age of 72 on 26 January 1970, after having been admitted to St Helen's Hospital after suffering a heart attack.

Legacy A street which runs adjacent to the Fitzroy River in the Rockhampton suburb of Wandal has been named Sir Raymond Huish Drive. The street is notable for providing access to the 2nd World War Memorial Aquatic Centre, the John Leak War Memorial, Alf Kele Memorial Rotary Park and the Victoria Park sports precinct, which includes Hegvold Stadium, home of local QBL team, the Rockhampton Rockets.

Rockhampton Regional Council have erected a signboard beside the street featuring information about Huish, although it appears to have his enlistment age listed incorrectly as 18 in February 1916, despite Huish (who was born in December 1898) himself stating a number of times throughout his life that he was only aged 16 when he enlisted.