Walter Crocker

Sir Walter Russell Crocker (25 March 190214 November 2002) was an Australian diplomat, writer and war veteran.

Life and career Crocker was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, the eldest son of Robert Crocker and Alma Bray. He served in World War II with the British Army, becoming a lieutenant colonel. Italy, Belgium, Nepal, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda. He headed the Department of International Relations at the Research School of Pacific (and Asian) Studies, Australian National University, 1949–1954.

Crocker was a Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia for more than nine years.

Crocker was interviewed in 1977, by T.B. Miller. The interview can be found at the National Library of Australia.

Books Crocker authored a well-received biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: A Contemporary's Estimate (1966).

Awards Crocker was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1955 while Australian Ambassador to Indonesia. He was later promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1977, in recognition of his service to the public.