Lawrence O'Donnell (general)
Australian Army officer
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Lieutenant General Lawrence George O'Donnell AC (17 January 1933 – 19 March 2026) was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served as Chief of the General Staff (1987–1990).
Lawrence George O'Donnell | |
|---|---|
| Born | 17 January 1933 |
| Died | 28 March 2026 (aged 93) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory |
| Allegiance | Australia |
Branch | Australian Army |
Service years | 1952–1990 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands | Chief of the General Staff (1987–90) Land Commander Australia (1986–87) Field Force Command (1985–86) Deputy Chief of the General Staff (1984–85) |
Conflicts | Malayan Emergency Vietnam War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of Australia Mentioned in Despatches |
| Other work | President, National Rifle Association of Australia (1990–06)[1] |
Military career
As an exchange troop leader O'Donnell served with 1st King's Dragoon Guards and was dispatched as part of the British Army response to the Malayan Emergency in 1957.[2]
He was posted to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and, as a major, was deployed to Vietnam where he was Mentioned in Despatches.[3]
He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1987 and made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in 1989 for service to the Australian Army in this role.[4]
In retirement he became Chairman of a campaign to build a permanent monument in Canberra to commemorate the contributions of migrants to Australia.[5] In 2000, he shot for Australia at Bisley, captaining the Kolapore Team.[6]
He died on 19 March 2026.[7]