Hugh Connell

Hugh John Connell DSO, MC & Bar (12 June 1884 – 31 January 1934) was an Australian politician and soldier.

Early life

Connell was born in the Sydney suburb of Woollahra, New South Wales and educated at Woollahra and Paddington public schools, Fort Street High School and at a teachers' training college. He taught at state chools in Sydney (1900–1905, Golgolgon and Tarcoon (1905–1908), Broken Hill and nearby Alma (1908–1910). As a result of criticism of employers during the 1909 lockout, he was transferred to Goulburn. He then taught at Howell (near Guyra), the Newcastle suburb of Wickham and the Sydney suburb of Burwood (1910–1915) and finally at the Newcastle suburb of Carrington.[1][2]

Military service

Connell Served from the outbreak of World War I in military training and in 1916 joined the First Australian Imperial Force as a lieutenant in the 35th Battalion and was promoted to captain in May 1916. He was awarded a Military Cross at the Battle of Messines in 1917. He received a bar to his Military Cross during the German Spring Offensive of 1918. He retired in 1919 as a major.[2]

Political career

In 1920, Connell was elected as an Australian Labor Party member for Newcastle in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1920 to 1927. In 1927 he was elected to the seat of Kahibah and on its abolition in 1930, he was elected as the member for Hamilton, which he held until his death in the Newcastle suburb of Merewether.[1]

Honours

Connell received a Distinguished Service Order in 1917, Military Cross in 1916 and bar in 1917, and was twice mentioned in despatches.[1]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Major Hugh John Connell (1884 - 1934)". Members of Parliament. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
  2. 1 2 Roberts, A. R. (1981). "Connell, Hugh John (1884 - 1934)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Canberra: Australian National University. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
Parliament of New South Wales
Preceded by
Arthur Gardiner
Member for Newcastle
1920 1927
Served alongside: Estell/Baddeley, Fegan/Cromarty/Booth, Gardiner/Skelton, Kearsley/Murray
Succeeded by
Peter Connolly
Preceded by
New seat
Member for Kahibah
1927 1930
Succeeded by
Abolished
Preceded by
James Smith
Member for Hamilton
1930 1934
Succeeded by
William Brennan
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