Sir Shane Dunne Paltridge

KBE KBE may refer to: * Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, post-nominal letters * Knowledge-based engineering Knowledge-based engineering (KBE) is the application of knowledge-based systems technology to the domain o ...

(11 January 1910 – 21 January 1966) was an Australian politician. He was a member of the Liberal Party and served in the Menzies Government as Minister for Shipping and Transport (1955–1960), Civil Aviation (1956–1964), and

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(1964–1966). He was a

Senator A senate is a deliberative assembly, often the upper house or chamber of a bicameral legislature. The name comes from the ancient Roman Senate (Latin: ''Senatus''), so-called as an assembly of the senior (Latin: ''senex'' meaning "the el ...

for

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from 1951 until his death in 1966. Prior to entering politics he worked as a bank clerk, hotel manager and soldier.

Early life

Paltridge was born on 11 January 1910 in Leederville, Western Australia. He was the son of Florence Marjory (née Thomas) and Archer Dunn Paltridge. His father worked as a banker and the family lived for periods in Western Australia,

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, and

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

. He attended primary school in Moora, Western Australia,

Ipswich, Queensland Ipswich () is a city in South East Queensland, Australia. Situated on the Bremer River, it is approximately west of the Brisbane central business district. The city is renowned for its architectural, natural and cultural heritage. Ipswich pre ...

, and Enmore, New South Wales, before completing his education to the age of 16 with an Intermediate Certificate from Fort Street Boys' High School in Sydney. In 1927 Paltridge began working for the

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(NBA) in Sydney. His parents separated the following year and he returned to Perth with his mother and sister, living at the Broken Hill Hotel in

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that was managed by his uncle by marriage. Paltridge continued to work for the NBA until 1936, when he took over as manager and licensee of the hotel, a "large and busy working man's pub". His aunt had inherited the lease in 1931 following her husband's death. Paltridge enlisteded the

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(RAAF) in February 1940, but failed flying training. He was subsequently assigned as a stores clerk, but was discharged in December 1941 and joined the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in February 1942. He saw overseas service as a gunner in the 2/7th Field Regiment, sailing to

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in April 1945 and serving in the Battle of Tarakan the following month. Paltridge returned to Australia in September 1945 following his mother's death. He subsequently resumed his management of the hotel.

Politics

Paltridge became a member of the Liberal and Country League of Western Australia (the Western Australian Branch of the

Liberal Party of Australia The Liberal Party of Australia is a centre-right political party in Australia, one of the two major parties in Australian politics, along with the centre-left Australian Labor Party. It was founded in 1944 as the successor to the United Au ...

) in 1946. In 1951 he was elected to the

Australian Senate The Senate is the upper house of the Bicameralism, bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives (Australia), House of Representatives. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Chapter ...

. He became Minister for Shipping and Transport (1955–60) and

Minister for Civil Aviation The Secretary of State for Transport, also referred to as the transport secretary, is a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, with overall responsibility for the policies of the Department for Transport. The incumbent is ...

(1956–64) under

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

Robert Menzies The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

. In April 1964, he became

Minister for Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

, during the early period of Australia's participation in the

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. Although he recommended against the immediate introduction of

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in 1964,

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decided to introduce it anyway.

Illness and death

Paltridge became gravely ill with cancer in late 1965. He was made a

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on 1 January 1966 and died at

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on 21 January 1966, having resigned as Minister for Defence two days earlier.

Personal life

Paltridge married Molly McEncroe on 21 January 1947, with whom he had two daughters. Mary, one of his daughters, was the first wife of the Labor politician

Kim Beazley Kim Christian Beazley (born 14 December 1948) is an Australian former politician and diplomat. He was leader of the Australian Labor Party (ALP) and leader of the opposition from 1996 to 2001 and 2005 to 2006, having previously been a cabinet ...

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Paltridge, Shane 1910 births 1966 deaths Deaths from cancer in Western Australia Liberal Party of Australia members of the Parliament of Australia Members of the Australian Senate for Western Australia Members of the Australian Senate Members of the Cabinet of Australia Australian Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Australian politicians awarded knighthoods Defence ministers of Australia 20th-century Australian politicians Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II Royal Australian Air Force airmen Australian Army personnel of World War II Australian Army soldiers