Sir John Wallace Overall, (15 July 1913 – 2 September 2001) was an Australian

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

veteran and architect. As inaugural Commissioner of the

National Capital Development Commission The National Capital Authority (NCA) is a statutory authority of the Australian Government that was established to manage the Commonwealth's interest in the planning and development of Canberra as the capital city of Australia. Timeline of the ...

from 1957 to 1972, he made a significant contribution to the development of

Canberra Canberra ( ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...

Early life

Overall was born in

Sydney Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...

, New South Wales, on 15 July 1913. He had humble beginnings and grew up with his sisters in a Masonic home in Sydney.

Second World War

Overall served as an officer in the

Second Australian Imperial Force The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the name given to the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initial ...

during the Second World War, where he was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level pre-1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth countries. The MC i ...

for "great courage, devotion and initiative" in 1941 for his service during the early Western Desert campaign in North Africa. Overall was awarded a

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to the decoration for his "outstanding leadership and disregard for danger" on 1 September 1942 during the

First Battle of El Alamein The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert campaign of the Second World War, fought in Egypt between Axis (German and Italian) forces of the Panzer Army Africa—which included the under Field Marshal ...

. After serving with the 9th Divisional Engineers, in September 1943 he took over command of Australia's first parachute infantry battalion, the 1st Parachute Battalion, and was in command of that unit when they deployed to Singapore at the end of the war.

Architectural career

When he returned to Australia following the war, Overall worked as an architect and in 1952 was made the Chief Government Architect in the Commonwealth Department of Works. In 1957 he was appointed Commissioner of the newly established

(NCDC). In this role Overall made a significant contribution to the development of

up until 1972 and in this regard is known as the "father of Canberra" for implementing Walter Burley Griffin's vision for the city as the founding Commissioner of the NCDC, a position he held for 25 years. Overall was also an advisor to various State Governments and fought vigorously for the protection of the Rocks area in Sydney which was marked for redevelopment. Overall returned to private practice in 1972, where he served on the boards of Lend Lease and CSR Limited. Overall lobbied successive governments for the building of a new parliament house, and in 1977 was asked by

Malcolm Fraser John Malcolm Fraser (; 21 May 1930 – 20 March 2015) was an Australian politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Australia from 1975 to 1983, holding office as the leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. Fraser was raised on hi ...

, Prime Minister of Australia, to be chairman of the selection committee that chose the winning design for the new building. Overall also became a member of the construction committee of the new Parliament House and he fought vigorously for the integrity of the original design to be maintained when synthetic grass was suggested as a cost-cutting measure by the government of the day for the roof of Parliament House. Today Parliament House has a grass lawn roof as a result of Overall's passion for the integrity of the design to be implemented. He threatened to resign over the issue and lobbied

Paul Keating Paul John Keating (born 18 January 1944) is an Australian former politician and unionist who served as the 24th prime minister of Australia from 1991 to 1996, holding office as the leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP). He previously serv ...

, then Federal Treasurer to approve the additional funds to complete the building. Overall was awarded the

Royal Australian Institute of Architects Gold Medal The Gold Medal is the highest award of the Australian Institute of Architects, awarded annually since 1960. The award was created to recognise distinguished service by Australian architects who have: * designed or executed buildings of high merit; ...

in 1982, and John Overall Offices, the head office of the ACT Planning and Land Management and Overall Avenue in the Canberra suburb of Casey were named in his honour. Overall is now highly regarded as the "father" of Canberra for implementing the Walter Burley Griffin "vision" and transforming Canberra from the "Bush Capital" as it was described as from the 1920s to the 1950s as well as selecting the design for the new Parliament House.

Personal life

Overall's wife Margaret died in 1988; he dedicated ''Canberra Yesterday and Today'' to her as 'my inspiration and our family's inspiration.' The couple had four sons and, at Overall's death in 2001, eleven grandchildren.Bruce Wright, 'Architect Who Created the Nation's Capital' Sydney Morning Herald, 13 September 2001 p. 42

Notes

References

* Prime Minister of Australia
Press Release
4 September 2001 * Royal Military College of Australia, 1989

Architecture Australia
* Obituary, 2001 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Overall, John 1913 births 2001 deaths Australian colonels Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Australian Knights Bachelor People from New South Wales Recipients of the Royal Australian Institute of Architects’ Gold Medal Recipients of the Military Cross