Alexander Jobson
Alexander Jobson | |
---|---|
Born | Brigadier General | 2 April 1875
Commands held | 2nd Battalion, 53rd Infantry Regiment (1918–21) 9th Infantry Brigade (1916–17) 35th Infantry Regiment (1915–16) 34th Infantry Regiment (1913–15) |
Battles/wars | First World War |
Awards | Mention in Despatches (2) |
Other work | Director of AMP |
Early life and career
Alexander Jobson was born on 2 April 1875 in
Jobson enlisted in the Scottish Rifles in August 1898 and was commissioned as a full lieutenant on 2 December 1899. He was promoted to captain on 29 August 1902. After moving to Sydney he joined the New South Wales Scottish Rifles with the rank of lieutenant on 1 January 1903 and was promoted to captain again on 1 July. He was promoted major on 13 September 1909. He transferred to the 25th Infantry on 1 July 1912 and on 1 July 1913 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel; and appointed to command the 34th Infantry Regiment.
First World War
Jobson joined the Australian Imperial Force on 10 February 1916 with the rank of colonel and was given command of the 9th Infantry Brigade. He was promoted to temporary brigadier general on 1 May 1916, shortly before departing Sydney. He arrived in London via South Africa and Dakar on 11 July. The brigade trained on Salisbury Plain before moving to France in November. The brigade entered the area of the line known as "Nursery Sector" at Armentières on 26 November.
Twice, during the absence of Major General
Jobson relinquished command on 25 August 1917 and returned to Australia where his appointment with the AIF was terminated on 9 December. Monash arranged for him to be again mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Service Order in the 1918 New Year Honours.
Post war
In October 1918, Jobson was appointed to command the 2nd Battalion, 53rd Infantry Regiment with the rank of lieutenant colonel and honorary brigadier general. Failure in the field was apparently considered no bar to promotion and he was promoted to colonel in December 1919 and transferred to the Reserve of Officers in 1921.
After the war, Jobson held a number of company directorates, most notably director of AMP in 1925 and Vice Chairman in 1932.
Jobson collapsed and died from a coronary occlusion in King Street, Sydney on 7 November 1933 and was cremated.
See also
- List of Australian generals
References
- Ross Mallett, Alexander Jobson, General Officers of the First AIF, adfa.edu.au
- Colin Forster, 'Jobson, Alexander (1875–1933)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 9, Melbourne University Press, 1983, pp 488–489.