Walter Crocker

Sir Walter Russell Crocker KBE (25 March 1902 – 14 November 2002) was an Australian diplomat, writer and war veteran.

The Honourable Sir Walter Crocker KBE
Sir Walter Crocker in 1953
Administrator of South Australia
In office 30 April 1977 – 1 September 1977
Preceded by	Douglas Nicholls (as Governor)
Succeeded by	Keith Seaman (as Governor)
Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia
In office 3 September 1973 – 27 June 1982
Governor	Mark Oliphant (1973–1976) Douglas Nicholls (1976–1977) Keith Seaman (1977–1982) Donald Dunstan (1982)
Preceded by	Mellis Napier
Succeeded by	Condor Laucke
Personal details
Born	Walter Russell Crocker (1902-03-25)25 March 1902 Broken Hill, New South Wales
Died	14 November 2002(2002-11-14) (aged 100) Henley Beach, South Australia
Nationality	Australian
Spouse	Claire Ward ​ (m. 1951)​
Occupation	Public servant, diplomat

Life and career

Crocker was born in Broken Hill, New South Wales, the eldest son of Robert Crocker and Alma Bray.^[1] He served in World War II with the British Army, becoming a lieutenant colonel.^[1]

He was ambassador or high commissioner to eleven countries, including India (twice), Indonesia, Canada,^[2] Italy, Belgium, Nepal, the Netherlands, Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.^[3] He headed the Department of International Relations at the Research School of Pacific (and Asian) Studies, Australian National University, 1949–1954.^[4]

Crocker was a Lieutenant-Governor of South Australia for more than nine years.^[1] He and his wife, Claire, had two sons, Robert and Christopher.^[5]

Books

Crocker authored a well-received biography of Jawaharlal Nehru titled Nehru: A Contemporary's Estimate (1966).

Awards

Crocker was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1955 while Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.^[6] He was later promoted to Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in 1977, in recognition of his service to the public.^[7]