Scan barcode
Reviews
The Courage And The Will: the Life of Roden Cutler, V.C. by Colleen McCullough, Colleen McCullough
tasmanian_bibliophile's review
4.0
‘Power can blinker, even blind but Roden’s vision was never clouded by it.’
Sir (Arthur) Roden Cutler (May 24, 1916 - February 21, 2002) was a great Australian. He was known as much for his humility and courage as for his dedication to duty, and served the Australian nation during a military, diplomatic and political career that spanned five decades.
Sir Roden was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for conspicuous and sustained gallantry during a period of 18 days in the Middle East campaign of 1941. He was the only Australian artilleryman to be awarded the VC. During a battle which resulted in the Australians capturing Merdjayoun, Sir Roden (who was part of an artillery forward observation team) saved the lives of a number of colleagues by repeatedly risking his own. He was severely wounded, and lost a leg through amputation as a consequence.
When he returned to Australia, Sir Roden was determined to continue to support his widowed mother. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in December 1941, and undertook a number of different roles until 1946, when he began a long career in the Australian Diplomatic Service.
Sir Roden was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand (1946–1952). Other postings within the Commonwealth followed; he served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1952–1955) and was the Australian Minister in Egypt during the Suez Crisis in 1956. As a result of his service in Egypt, Cutler was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1957 New Year's Honours.
Cutler acted as Secretary-General of the South-East Asia Council of Ministers meeting in Canberra in January 1957 and became Chief of Protocol of the Department of External Affairs (1957–58). Cutler was also State President of the RSL in 1958. He was Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, (1958–1961), and Australian Consul-General in New York, (1961–1965), during which period he was the Australian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was the Australian Representative to independence of the Republic of Somalia in 1960.
‘One of the stories circulating when Roden was Consul-General in New York went to the effect that Franklin Roosevelt proved a man could be president for as long as he wanted, that Truman proved that anybody could be president, that Eisenhower proved a president was not necessary, and that Kennedy proved a president could be dangerous.’
For his diplomatic services to Australia, he was honoured by The Queen
as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in December 1965. He was further honoured as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1970. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) in 1981.
His final diplomatic posting, in 1965, as Ambassador to The Netherlands, was cut short in 1966 when he returned to Australia as Governor of New South Wales, an office that he served for a record 15 years.
Sir Roden married Helen Morris in 1946, and they had four sons. Helen died in 1990, and in 1993 Sir Roden married Joan Goodwin.
Ms McCullough has written an energetic, entertaining and enlightening
biography about Sir Roden Cutler. Sir Roden’s sense of duty – both private and public – to family, to those for whom he was directly responsible and more broadly to Australia comes across so clearly in this biography. He made choices based on what was required of him and from him, rather than on what he wanted for himself. At a time when so many public figures seem to be motivated by selfish self-interest, it is refreshing to read about a man who served his country with such distinction and humility. Truly an amazing man.
‘There are those who will read this book and end by refusing to believe that men like Roden Cutler do walk the face of this earth. They will decide that I, the biographer have conflated and exaggerated.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Sir (Arthur) Roden Cutler (May 24, 1916 - February 21, 2002) was a great Australian. He was known as much for his humility and courage as for his dedication to duty, and served the Australian nation during a military, diplomatic and political career that spanned five decades.
Sir Roden was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) for conspicuous and sustained gallantry during a period of 18 days in the Middle East campaign of 1941. He was the only Australian artilleryman to be awarded the VC. During a battle which resulted in the Australians capturing Merdjayoun, Sir Roden (who was part of an artillery forward observation team) saved the lives of a number of colleagues by repeatedly risking his own. He was severely wounded, and lost a leg through amputation as a consequence.
When he returned to Australia, Sir Roden was determined to continue to support his widowed mother. He was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in December 1941, and undertook a number of different roles until 1946, when he began a long career in the Australian Diplomatic Service.
Sir Roden was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand (1946–1952). Other postings within the Commonwealth followed; he served in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) (1952–1955) and was the Australian Minister in Egypt during the Suez Crisis in 1956. As a result of his service in Egypt, Cutler was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1957 New Year's Honours.
Cutler acted as Secretary-General of the South-East Asia Council of Ministers meeting in Canberra in January 1957 and became Chief of Protocol of the Department of External Affairs (1957–58). Cutler was also State President of the RSL in 1958. He was Australian High Commissioner in Pakistan, (1958–1961), and Australian Consul-General in New York, (1961–1965), during which period he was the Australian delegate to the United Nations General Assembly in 1962, 1963 and 1964 and was the Australian Representative to independence of the Republic of Somalia in 1960.
‘One of the stories circulating when Roden was Consul-General in New York went to the effect that Franklin Roosevelt proved a man could be president for as long as he wanted, that Truman proved that anybody could be president, that Eisenhower proved a president was not necessary, and that Kennedy proved a president could be dangerous.’
For his diplomatic services to Australia, he was honoured by The Queen
as a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in December 1965. He was further honoured as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1970. He was appointed a Knight of the Order of Australia (AK) in 1981.
His final diplomatic posting, in 1965, as Ambassador to The Netherlands, was cut short in 1966 when he returned to Australia as Governor of New South Wales, an office that he served for a record 15 years.
Sir Roden married Helen Morris in 1946, and they had four sons. Helen died in 1990, and in 1993 Sir Roden married Joan Goodwin.
Ms McCullough has written an energetic, entertaining and enlightening
biography about Sir Roden Cutler. Sir Roden’s sense of duty – both private and public – to family, to those for whom he was directly responsible and more broadly to Australia comes across so clearly in this biography. He made choices based on what was required of him and from him, rather than on what he wanted for himself. At a time when so many public figures seem to be motivated by selfish self-interest, it is refreshing to read about a man who served his country with such distinction and humility. Truly an amazing man.
‘There are those who will read this book and end by refusing to believe that men like Roden Cutler do walk the face of this earth. They will decide that I, the biographer have conflated and exaggerated.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
More...