Ragnar Garrett

Lieutenant General Sir Alwyn Ragnar Garrett KBE, CB (12 February 1900 – 4 November 1977) was a senior officer in the Australian Army who served as Chief of the General Staff (1958–1960).

Military career
Educated at Guildford Grammar School, Garrett graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon into the Australian Light Horse in 1921.

He served in World War II becoming Commanding Officer of a battalion of the Australian Imperial Force in 1940. The following year he fought in Greece and Crete with 19th Brigade and in 1943 he was deployed to New Guinea and Bougainville. He completely re-organised the Forces in New Guinea.

After the War he became Brigadier in Charge of Administration for the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan and in 1949 he was made Commandant of the Staff College, Queenscliff. He went on to be General Officer Commanding Western Command in 1951, Deputy Chief of the General Staff in 1953, and GOC Southern Command in 1954. He was appointed Chief of the General Staff in 1958 and retired in 1960.

Later he became Principal of the Australian Administrative Staff College and in that role lobbied for the Army to have a Division ready for war at all times.

Family
In 1925 he married Shirley Lorraine Hunter.