George Odgers

]

Odgers worked as a defence journalist in parallel with his career as a military historian. After the "Argus" closed in 1956 he was hired by the fledging television station GTV-9 and worked in its news production team. He moved to "The Age" in 1960 as a special writer focusing on defence issues. Odgers married Elizabeth Garrod in 1954 and the couple had two children.

In 1965 Odgers became the head of public relations for the Department of Air and subsequently the RAAF. He held this position until 1975 when he became Director of Historical Studies and Information in the Department of Defence.

George Odgers retired from the Department of Defence in 1981 but continued working as a historian. He published illustrated histories of the Royal Australian Navy, Air Force and Army in 1982, 1984 and 1988 respectively. His two volume history of Australia's involvement in 11 wars, "Diggers", was published in 1994. His last work was a biography of Squadron Leader Dick Cresswell, "Mr Double Seven", and found a publisher shortly before his death in early 2008 at the age of 91. Odgers was the last living member of the 14 historians who wrote "Australia in the War of 1939–1945" and was survived by two of his siblings, his wife and sons and their five grandchildren.

Notes

Persondata
NAME = Odgers, George
ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
SHORT DESCRIPTION = Military historian, journalist
DATE OF BIRTH = 29 March 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH = Perth, Western Australia
DATE OF DEATH = 2008
PLACE OF DEATH =