Sir Peter Cosgrove
David Hurley
Lynne, Lady Cosgrove (née Payne)
3
Australia
1965–2005
Chief of the Defence Force (2002–05)
Chief of Army (2000–02)
Land Command Australia (2000)
International Force East Timor (1999–00)
1st Division (1998–99)
6th Brigade (1992–93)
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1983–84)
A graduate of the Royal Military College, Duntroon, Cosgrove fought in the Vietnam War, receiving the Military Cross in 1971. From 1983 to 1984, he was commander of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and he later served as commander of the 6th Brigade and the 1st Division. Cosgrove rose to prominence in 1999, when he served as commander of the International Force for East Timor (INTERFET), which oversaw the peacekeeping mission in East Timor during its transition to independence. He is also an alumnus of National Defence College, India.
Cosgrove was Australia's Chief of Army from 2000 to 2002 and Chief of the Defence Force from 2002 to 2005, receiving corresponding promotions to lieutenant general and general. Cosgrove retired from active service following the end of his term as Chief of the Defence Force, and subsequently served as leader of a taskforce helping to rebuild communities in Queensland after Cyclone Larry in 2006. In January 2014, Cosgrove was named to succeed Dame Quentin Bryce as Governor-General of Australia. He was sworn in on 28 March 2014 and made a Knight of the Order of Australia on the same date. Cosgrove retired on 1 July 2019 and was succeeded by General David Hurley.
Viceregal styles of
Sir Peter Cosgrove
(2014–2019)
His Excellency the Honourable
Your Excellency
Post-military career[edit]
Cyclone Larry Taskforce[edit]
On 23 March 2006, Cosgrove was selected to lead the Queensland Government taskforce of rebuilding communities damaged by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 tropical cyclone that devastated the Innisfail region of northern Queensland.[19] "In recognition of the important contribution General Cosgrove made to the community of North Queensland following Cyclone Larry", on 11 October 2008, Queensland Premier Anna Bligh announced that a new residential suburb in the Bohle Plains area of Townsville would be named Cosgrove, formerly the site of an Abattoir for the cattle sale yards next to it.[20][21][22]
Corporate leadership and community organisations[edit]
Cosgrove served on the board of Australia's main airline Qantas between July 2005[23] and January 2014[24] and is on numerous other boards as chairman or member. He served as Chancellor of the Australian Catholic University between November 2010[25] and January 2014;[26] and is Honorary Patron of the ACT Veterans Rugby Club[27] and the Rosies Youth Mission.[28] Peter Cosgrove was appointed as Patron to the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Association in 2015.
