Paul Alfred Cullen
Encyclopedia
Major General
Paul Alfred Cullen AC
, CBE
, DSO
& Bar
, ED
(13 February 1909 – 7 October 2007) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
. He joined the Militia in 1927 and saw active service throughout the Second World War, distinguishing himself as a fighting Battalion commander on the Kokoda Track
. Post war, he continued to serve in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) and rose to the rank of Major General
as the CMF Member of the Military Board. In civil life he was founder of Mainguard merchant bank, founder and first chairman of Austcare, a noted philanthropist and breeder of Galloway cattle.
(1919–1941), became a fighter ace
in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. Cullen enlisted in the Militia (ORs) 1st Heavy Brigade, Australian Garrison Artillery in 1927 and was commissioned on 22 May 1931. Promotion to Captain followed on 24 July 1935 and he was appointed Officer Commanding 16th Battery, RAA on 25 October 1935.
Returning to the 2/2nd Battalion, he was promoted Major on 15 November 1940, serving as a Company Commander and was Second-in-Command by the time he arrived in Greece on 19 May 1941. In Greece he converted much of the Battalion’s cash to gold which proved valuable in obtaining rations and support from the local populace during the withdrawal to Crete and on to the Middle East where he arrived in June 1941.
His observation of the German attitude to people of the Jewish faith led him to officially change his name from Cohen to Cullen on 25 September 1941 as a precaution in the event of being captured by the Germans.
He returned to Melbourne, Australia, on 7 August 1942 and was promoted substantive Lieutenant Colonel on 1 September 1942.
Sailing with his Battalion, he arrived in Port Moresby on 21 September 1942, leading them with great distinction during the advance to recapture Kokoda he earned a reputation as fighting commander.
He returned to Brisbane, Australia, to reinforce and retrain the Battalion on 8 January 1943 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) for "continuous distinguished service in New Guinea, South West Pacific" as CO 2/1st Bn on 23 December 1943.
Seconded to Headquarters 16th Brigade on 29 January 1944, Cullen arrived in Port Moresby on 14 March 1944 where he was attached to Headquarters New Guinea Force from 28 March 1944. He returned to Cairns, Australia, on 28 March 1944 and was again attached to Headquarters 16th Brigade for the period 8 May - 12 June 1944.
He returned to New Guinea with the 2/1st Battalion and arrived Aitape on 15 December 1944. He then returned to Australia on 13 April 1945 and completed the Land Headquarters Tactical senior officers course during the period 22 April - 3 June 1945. Returning to New Guinea on 16 June 1945, he was attached to Headquarters 16th Brigade for the period 4 August – 7 September 1945.
He returned to Cairns, Australia, on 19 September 1945.
He was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Order for gallant and distinguished service in the Aitape - Wewak as CO 2/1st Bn on 2 November 1946 (Gazetted 6 March 1947).
(CBE) on 1 January 1965, as part of the Army Post-war Honours List. He was also awarded the Efficiency Decoration
(ED) for efficient service as an officer in the Citizen Military Forces.
Major General Cullen transferred to the Retired List on 2 December 1966 but remained an outspoken champion of the part-time soldier. Cullen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), "In recognition of service to the community of ex-service personnel and their dependents" in the Queen's Birthday list on 6 June 1978. He was raised to a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), "In recognition of service to the community, particularly to the welfare of the blind and visually impaired" on Australia Day, 26 January 1988.
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Paul Alfred Cullen AC
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, ED
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(13 February 1909 – 7 October 2007) was a senior officer in the Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
. He joined the Militia in 1927 and saw active service throughout the Second World War, distinguishing himself as a fighting Battalion commander on the Kokoda Track
Kokoda Track
The Kokoda Trail or Track is a single-file foot thoroughfare that runs overland — in a straight line — through the Owen Stanley Range in Papua New Guinea...
. Post war, he continued to serve in the Citizen Military Forces (CMF) and rose to the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
as the CMF Member of the Military Board. In civil life he was founder of Mainguard merchant bank, founder and first chairman of Austcare, a noted philanthropist and breeder of Galloway cattle.
Early life
Born Paul Alfred Cohen at Newcastle, NSW, on 13 February 1909, Cullen was the youngest of three children to businessman Sir Samuel Cohen and his wife Elma (née Hart). His nephew, Nigel CullenNigel Cullen
Richard Nigel Cullen DFC was an Australian fighter ace of World War II. Serving with the Royal Air Force , he was credited with sixteen aerial victories before being killed in action during the Battle of Greece...
(1919–1941), became a fighter ace
Flying ace
A flying ace or fighter ace is a military aviator credited with shooting down several enemy aircraft during aerial combat. The actual number of aerial victories required to officially qualify as an "ace" has varied, but is usually considered to be five or more...
in the Mediterranean during the Second World War. Cullen enlisted in the Militia (ORs) 1st Heavy Brigade, Australian Garrison Artillery in 1927 and was commissioned on 22 May 1931. Promotion to Captain followed on 24 July 1935 and he was appointed Officer Commanding 16th Battery, RAA on 25 October 1935.
Second World War
Following the declaration of war on 3 September 1939, Cullen was seconded as a captain to the 2/2nd Battalion on 13 October 1939 and officially enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force as an officer on 30 October 1939 with the army number NX163.Middle East
Cullen arrived in the Middle East theatre on 13 February 1940, his 31st birthday, and completed the Middle East Tactical School course during the period 6 March – 8 April 1940. He was then attached to the 2/1st Battalion from 25 September to 17 October 1940.Returning to the 2/2nd Battalion, he was promoted Major on 15 November 1940, serving as a Company Commander and was Second-in-Command by the time he arrived in Greece on 19 May 1941. In Greece he converted much of the Battalion’s cash to gold which proved valuable in obtaining rations and support from the local populace during the withdrawal to Crete and on to the Middle East where he arrived in June 1941.
His observation of the German attitude to people of the Jewish faith led him to officially change his name from Cohen to Cullen on 25 September 1941 as a precaution in the event of being captured by the Germans.
Kokoda Track and Papua New Guinea
Cullen sailed from the Middle East to return to Australia and arrived in Ceylon on 28 March 1942. There he was promoted temporary Lieutenant Colonel as Commanding Officer of the 2/1st Battalion, a post he retained from 11 June 1942 to 28 August 1945.He returned to Melbourne, Australia, on 7 August 1942 and was promoted substantive Lieutenant Colonel on 1 September 1942.
Sailing with his Battalion, he arrived in Port Moresby on 21 September 1942, leading them with great distinction during the advance to recapture Kokoda he earned a reputation as fighting commander.
He returned to Brisbane, Australia, to reinforce and retrain the Battalion on 8 January 1943 and awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) for "continuous distinguished service in New Guinea, South West Pacific" as CO 2/1st Bn on 23 December 1943.
Seconded to Headquarters 16th Brigade on 29 January 1944, Cullen arrived in Port Moresby on 14 March 1944 where he was attached to Headquarters New Guinea Force from 28 March 1944. He returned to Cairns, Australia, on 28 March 1944 and was again attached to Headquarters 16th Brigade for the period 8 May - 12 June 1944.
He returned to New Guinea with the 2/1st Battalion and arrived Aitape on 15 December 1944. He then returned to Australia on 13 April 1945 and completed the Land Headquarters Tactical senior officers course during the period 22 April - 3 June 1945. Returning to New Guinea on 16 June 1945, he was attached to Headquarters 16th Brigade for the period 4 August – 7 September 1945.
He returned to Cairns, Australia, on 19 September 1945.
He was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Order for gallant and distinguished service in the Aitape - Wewak as CO 2/1st Bn on 2 November 1946 (Gazetted 6 March 1947).
Post-war service
On the raising of the Citizen Military Forces, Cullen was appointed Commanding Officer of the 45th Battalion (The St George Regiment) on 1 April 1948. He was promoted Temporary Brigadier, Commanding 14th Brigade, on 2 July 1955 and confirmed as a substantive Brigadier on 2 July 1956. He served on the Officers Staff Group, Eastern Command, from 2 July 1958 until his appointment as Deputy Commander 1st Division on 1 July 1960. Promoted Major General commanding Communications Zone on 1 December 1961, Cullen transferred to the Unattached List on 1 December 1963 before serving as the Citizen Military Force member of the Military Board. He was appointed a Commander in the Military Division of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(CBE) on 1 January 1965, as part of the Army Post-war Honours List. He was also awarded the Efficiency Decoration
Efficiency Decoration
The Efficiency Decoration is a defunct medal of Britain and the Commonwealth awarded for long service in the Territorial Army of the UK, the Indian Volunteer Forces and Colonial Auxiliary Forces....
(ED) for efficient service as an officer in the Citizen Military Forces.
Major General Cullen transferred to the Retired List on 2 December 1966 but remained an outspoken champion of the part-time soldier. Cullen was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO), "In recognition of service to the community of ex-service personnel and their dependents" in the Queen's Birthday list on 6 June 1978. He was raised to a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), "In recognition of service to the community, particularly to the welfare of the blind and visually impaired" on Australia Day, 26 January 1988.