Robert Wordsworth

Major-General Robert Hurley Wordsworth CB CBE (21 July 1894 – 22 November 1984) was an Australian military officer and politician. He served with the Australian Army during World War I before transferring to the British Indian Army in 1917. He commanded units in India and Persia during World War II before returning to Australia in 1947. He subsequently served as a Senator for Tasmania from 1950 to 1959, representing the Liberal Party, and as administrator of Norfolk Island from 1962 to 1964.

Early life Wordsworth was born on 21 July 1894 in Collarenebri, New South Wales. He was the son of Robena (née Walker) and William Henry Wordsworth; his father was a storekeeper who later farmed on a pastoral property near Cowra. He attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School from 1908 to 1910, where he was an army cadet.

Military career Wordsworth was commissioned into the Australian Imperial Force on 27 August 1914 as an officer of 1st Light Horse Regiment.

During World War I Wordsworth served at Gallipoli, Egypt and Palestine between May 1915 and November 1917 and was mentioned in dispatches.

After transferring to the Indian Army on 3 November 1917, he was appointed to the 16th Cavalry on 7 November 1917. He went on to serve in Waziristan between 1919 and 1921 with his regiment He was appointed commanding officer of the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers on 11 June 1939. he was appointed commander of the 31st Indian Armoured Division in May 1942. As part of the British 10th Army, his division was stationed in Persia in 1942. At that time, the British 10th Army was part of Paiforce (formerly Iraqforce) under the Persia and Iraq Command.

In December 1944 he was appointed Director of Armoured Fighting Vehicles, India. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1943, promoted to major-general on 6 June 1944 and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945.

Politics In 1947, after retiring from the Indian Army, Wordsworth settled in Tasmania, his wife's birthplace, farming on the Meander River near Westbury. He joined the Liberal Party and first stood for parliament the following year, running unsuccessfully in the seat of Wilmot at the 1948 state election.

In the Senate, Wordsworth was primarily interested in foreign affairs and defence. He remained in the post until August 1964.

Personal life In 1928, Wordsworth married Margaret Ross-Reynolds, with whom he had two children.

Wordsworth retired to Tasmania, living in Launceston and later settling in Longford. He died at Longford on 23 November 1984, aged 90.