HCV Lunch Series: Lunch with Tim Fischer - SOLD OUT
Hear Tim Fischer reveal new details about one of Australia's unknown heroes - John Monash.
Based on similar Harvard Club events in Europe and the USA, this lunch series is designed to be exciting, inexpensive and convenient. Located in the CBD and for the same price as a cafe lunch, why not join us for an exciting conversation with leading figures. We promise a fantastic speaker, quality food and a central lunch location. In the first of our lunch series hear Tim Fischer reveal new details about one of Australia's unknown heroes - John Monash.
John Monash is one of Australia's greatest unknown heros. Tim Fischer – who became Australia's Deputy Prime Minister and ended his political career by receiving a standing ovation in parliament – has emerged as Monash's latest champion.
Monash wasn't a regular Army man from Sandhurst or even Duntroon: he was a civilian engineer and his military career had been as a reservist, or part-time officer. He spoke German – his father, Louis, had emigrated from Prussia. He was Jewish. He was almost 50 and portly. And he would scandalise Melbourne society for his propensity to keep a mistress. Yet Monash would become one of the great generals of World War I. He would be knighted by the King for orchestrating crucial victories at Hamel and around Amiens late in the war and would become regarded by many as Australia's finest military tactician. Diggers on the Western Front came to revere him.
But Australia's war correspondent C.E.W. Bean and the influential reporter Keith Murdoch scorned him and eventually ganged up on him during the war. Billy Hughes grew so jealous of Monash's popularity after the war he couldn't bring himself to mention his name in a parliamentary speech about military victories he commanded.
Now another outsider who astonished many, Fischer, himself a junior officer in the Vietnam War, leaves no doubt of his view: he has written a book entitled Maestro John Monash: Australia's Greatest Citizen General.
Drawing on a broad array of material, much of it new, Fischer seeks to right the wrongs meted out by the small and the prejudiced.
So come along and enjoy a great lunch, brilliant conversation and affordable lunch, all within the CBD.
Venue: Donkey Wheel House, Level 2, 673 Bourke Street, Melbourne 3000, Victoria
Date: Friday, 7th of August
Time: 12:00pm for 12:30pm start
Cost: $20 for members and $30 for non-members. SOLD OUT!
RSVP: By Wednesday August 5th, 2015