1972 Birthday Honours

The 1972 Queen's Birthday Honours were appointments to orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms to reward and highlight citizens' good works, on the occasion of the official birthday of Queen Elizabeth II. They were announced in supplements to the London Gazette of 23 May 1972.

At this time honours for Australians were awarded both in the United Kingdom honours on the advice of the premiers of Australian states, and also in a separate Australia honours list.

Recipients of honours are displayed here as they were styled before their new honours.

United Kingdom

Life peer

Baron

• Brigadier Sir Bernard Edward Fergusson, G.C.M.G., G.C.V.O., D.S.O., O.B.E. For public services.
• Sir Harold Samuel. For public and charitable services.

Privy Counsellor

• The Right Honourable Charles Frank, Baron Byers, O.B.E., Leader of the Liberal Party, House of Lords.
• Rodney Graham Page, M.B.E., M.P., Minister for Local Government and Development.
• The Honourable Billy Mackie Snedden, Q.C., Treasurer for the Commonwealth of Australia.
• Sir Burke St John Trend, G.C.B., C.V.O., Secretary of the Cabinet.

Knight Bachelor

• Allan Ivor Baker, C.B.E., Chairman, Baker Perkins Holdings Ltd. For services to Export.
• Donald James Barron, Chairman, Rowntree Mackintosh Ltd. For services to Export.
• Derek Harold Richard Barton, Hofmann Professor of Organic Chemistry, Imperial College of Science and Technology, University of London.
• Professor Misha Black, O.B.E. For services to industrial design.
• Paul Elmore Oliver Bryan, D.S.O., M.C., M.P. For political and public services.
• John Lawie Burgess, O.B.E., T.D., D.L. For public services in Cumberland.
• Sydney Morris Caffyn, C.B.E. For charitable services.
• William Oscar Carter, President, The Law Society.
• The Right Honourable Frederick Vernon Corfield, M.P. For political and public services.
• Colonel William Robert Crawshay, D.S.O., E.R.D., T.D., D.L. For public services in Wales.
• Martin Davies, C.B.E., Director, National Gallery.
• Donald Macleod Douglas, M.B.E., Professor of Surgery, University of Dundee.
• Professor Kingsley Charles Dunham, Director, Institute of Geological Sciences, and Foreign Secretary of the Royal Society.
• Ernst Hans Josef Gombrich, C.B.E., Professor of the History of the Classical Tradition, University of London.
• John Ritchie Inch, C.V.O., C.B.E., Q.P.M., Chief Constable, City of Edinburgh Police Force.
• William Johnston Keswick, Director, Bank of England.
• Anthony Carey Lewis, C.B.E., Principal, Royal Academy of Music.
• Patrick Arthur Macrory. For public services in Northern Ireland.
• Peter Thomson Menzies, Chairman, Electricity Council.
• Richard Anthony Meyjes, Head of Business Team, Civil Service Department.
• Edward Henry Nichols, T.D., Town Clerk, City of London.
• Montague Illtyd Prichard, C.B.E., M.C., Chairman, Perkins Engines Group Ltd. For services to Export.
• Leonard Redshaw, Assistant Managing Director, Vickers Ltd. For services to Export.
• William Reid, C.B.E. For services to the North East.
• James Maude Richards, C.B.E. For services to Architecture.
• Sydney Thomas Franklin Ryder, Chairman and Chief Executive, Reed International Ltd.
• Colonel Geoffrey Peter Shakerley, C.B.E., M.C., T.D., Chairman, Executive Council, County Councils Association.
• Robert Edward Graham Shillington, C.B.E., Chief Constable, Royal Ulster Constabulary.
• John Arthur Stallworthy, Nuffield Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Oxford.
• Andrew Stephen, Chairman, The Football Association.
• Professor Michael Meredith Swann, F.R.S., Principal and Vice-Chancellor, University of Edinburgh.
• John Aked Taylor, O.B.E., T.D., D.L. For political and public services in Yorkshire.
• Lieutenant-Colonel Jeffrey Carlton Astwood, C.B.E., E.D., Speaker of the House of Assembly, Bermuda.
• The Honourable Gilbert Alexander Cooper, C.B.E., E.D. For public services in Bermuda.
• The Honourable John Anthony Holt Saunders, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., J.P. For services to banking in Hong Kong.

Australian States

State of New South Wales

• Arthur Thomas George. For services to the Australian-Greek community, universities and sport.
• George Mervyn Gray, C.V.O., C.B.E., Under Secretary and Permanent Head of the Premier's Department and Secretary to the Cabinet.
• John Hedley Douglas Marks, C.B.E. For services to hospitals and the community.

State of Victoria

• The Honourable George Oswald Reid, Q.C., M.P., Attorney-General and Chief Secretary.

State of Queensland

• The Honourable Alan Roy Fletcher, M.L.A., Minister for Education and Cultural Activities.
• Councillor James Graham Walker, M.B.E., of Longreach. For community services, particularly in the field of local government.

State of Tasmania

• The Honourable Mr Justice George Hunter Crawford, Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Tasmania.

Order of the Bath

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB)

• General Sir John Antony Jervis Read, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., A.D.C. (General), late Infantry, Colonel Commandant The Light Division, Colonel Commandant Small Arms School Corps, Colonel Commandant Army Catering Corps.
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Frederick Rosier, K.C.B., C.B.E., D.S.O., A.D.C., Royal Air Force.
• Sir Arnold William France, K.C.B., Chairman, Board of Inland Revenue.

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)

• Vice Admiral John Edward Ludgate Martin, C.B., D.S.C.
• Lieutenant-General John Houghton Gibbon, C.B., O.B.E., late Royal Regiment of Artillery, Colonel Commandant Royal Regiment of Artillery.
• Air Vice-Marshal Peter de Lacey Le Cheminant, C.B., D.F.C., Royal Air Force.
• Idwal Vaughan Pugh, C.B., Second Permanent Secretary, Department of the Environment.
• Henry Gabriel Ware, C.B., H.M. Procurator-General and Treasury Solicitor.
• Lieutenant-Colonel The Right Honourable Sir Martin Michael Charles Charteris, K.C.V.O., C.B., O.B.E., Private Secretary to The Queen and Keeper of Her Majesty's Archives.

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Military Division

• Commandant Daphne Mary Blundell, Hon. A.D.C., Women's Royal Naval Service.
• Rear Admiral Hilary Charles Nicholas Goodhart.
• Surgeon Rear Admiral Rex Philip Phillips, O.B.E., Q.H.S.
• Rear Admiral Charles William Haimes Shepherd, C.B.E.
• Rear Admiral Alan Christopher Wyndham Wilson.
• Major-General Ronald Edward Coaker, C.B.E., M.C. (378164), late Royal Armoured Corps, Colonel 17th/21st Lancers.
• Major-General Henry Holland Evans, late Royal Army Educational Corps.
• Major-General Peter Howard Girling, O.B.E., late Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers.
• Major-General Michael Stephen Hancock, M.B.E., late Royal Corps of Signals, Colonel Commandant Royal Corps of Signals.
• Air Vice-Marshal Reginald Edward Wynyard Harland, Royal Air Force.
• Air Vice-Marshal Frederick Desmond Hughes, C.B.E., D.S.O., D.F.C., A.F.C., Royal Air Force.
• Air Vice-Marshal Brian Pashley Young, C.B.E., Royal Air Force.

Civil Division

• Albert Gwyra Beynon, Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.
• Wilfred Burns, C.B.E., Deputy Secretary and Chief Planner, Department of the Environment.
• Miss Joan Davies Cooper, Director of Social Services, Department of Health and Social Security.
• Leonard Richard Creasy, O.B.E., Director of Civil Engineering Development, Department of the Environment.
• Brian Arthur Cullum Duncan, C.B.E., Q.C., Judge Advocate General of H.M. Forces.
• Robert Fell, C.B.E., Secretary, Export Credits Guarantee Department.
• Gordon Neville Gadsby, Chief Scientific Officer (A), Ministry of Defence.
• Frank Dickinson Lawton, Solicitor, Department of Employment.
• Alan Lord, Deputy Chairman, Board of Inland Revenue.
• Norman Jordan-Moss, C.M.G., Deputy Secretary, Department of Health and Social Security.
• Edward Hurry Palmer, Comptroller of Defence Lands, Ministry of Defence.
• Sidney John Palmer, O.B.E., Deputy Director General, Ships, Ministry of Defence.
• Leo Pliatzky, Deputy Secretary, H.M. Treasury.
• William George Pottinger, C.V.O., Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.
• Patrick Shea, O.B.E., Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education for Northern Ireland.
• Geoffrey Ward Stallibrass, O.B.E., Controller, National Air Traffic Services, Department of Trade and Industry.

Order of St Michael and St George

Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG)

• Archibald Laurence Patrick Kirwan, C.M.G., T.D., Director and Secretary, Royal Geographical Society.
• Frank Dixey, C.M.G., O.B.E., F.R.S., Consulting Hydrogeologist to the Department of Water Development, Cyprus.
• John Nicholas Henderson, C.M.G., H.M. Ambassador, Warsaw.
• Charles Peter Hope, C.M.G., T.D., H.M. Ambassador, Mexico City.
• Sir Robert Lucien Morrison Kirkwood. For services to Anglo-Jamaican relations and to the sugar industry.
• Frederick Archibald Warner, C.M.G., H.M. Ambassador-designate, Tokyo.

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

• John Lewis Jones, Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Defence.
• Jacob Jordan Watson, Counsellor (Labour), British Embassy, Washington.
• Cyril Montgomery White, Q.C., Chairman, Foreign Compensation Commission, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
• Lawrence John White, Assistant Secretary, Board of Customs and Excise.
• The Most Reverend George Appleton, M.B.E., Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem.
• Rae Gordon Britten, lately British Deputy High Commissioner, Dacca.
• Edward Peter Nayler de Haan, O.B.E., Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
• John Boyd Denson, O.B.E., lately British Chargé d'Affaires, Peking.
• John Alexander Noble Graham, Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
• Edward Firth Henderson, H.M. Ambassador, Qatar.
• Ernest Gordon Lewis, O.B.E., Governor, Falkland Islands.
• Reginald Louis Secondé, C.V.O., Counsellor, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
• Charles James Treadwell, H.M. Ambassador, Abu Dhabi.

Australian States

State of Victoria

• His Honour Judge George Leo Dethridge, Chairman of County Court Judges, County Court of Victoria.

State of Queensland

• Frank Victor Sharpe, O.B.E., E.D., of Brisbane. For his services to aviation and to the avocado industry.

Royal Victorian Order

Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO)

• The Right Honourable Charles John, Viscount Cobham, K.G., G.C.M.G., T.D.

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO)

• Brigadier Geoffrey Paul Hardy-Roberts, C.B., C.B.E.
• Lieutenant-Colonel Eric Charles William Mackenzie Penn, C.V.O., O.B.E., M.C.

Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO)

• The Right Honourable (Elizabeth) Vere Drummond, Baroness Birdwood, M.V.O.
• Edwin Richard Cawston.
• Rear-Admiral Anthony Davies, C.B.
• Miss Alice Anne Hawkins, M.V.O.
• Herbert Harry Hobbs, C.B.
• Albert Charles Edward Musk, M.V.O.
• Albert Edward Perkins, M.V.O., Commander, Metropolitan Police.
• Commodore Courtenay Alexander Rives Shillington, C.B., V.R.D., D.L., Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Retired).

Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO)

At this time the two lowest classes of the Royal Victorian Order were "Member (fourth class)" and "Member (fifth class)", both with post-nominals MVO. "Member (fourth class)" was renamed "Lieutenant" (LVO) from the 1985 New Year Honours onwards.

Fourth Class

• Commander Lionel Armitage Bird, Royal Navy.
• Sidney Scholfield Campbell.
• Captain Ian Walter Farquhar, The Queen's Own Hussars.
• Surgeon Commander Philip Fulford, Royal Navy.
• Oswald Gillespie, Chief Superintendent, Metropolitan Police.
• The Reverend Canon James Seymour Denis Mansel.
• Geoffrey Montague Fenwick Stow.

Fifth Class

• Miss Mary Ashby.
• David Frederick Batson.
• Miss Marie Lilian Greiner.
• George Edward Wilson.

Royal Victorian Medal (RVM)

Bar to the Royal Victorian Medal (Silver)

• Arthur Ernest Henness.

Royal Victorian Medal (Silver)

• Thomas William Bell.
• Corporal of Horse Cyril Benjamin Blake, The Life Guards.
• Sydney William Bloomfield.
• Michael Silvester Donoghue.
• Leslie Hoskin.
• Chief Marine Engineering Artificer David Leonard Moody.
• Miss Catherine Josephine O'Neill.
• Yeoman Bed Goer Edward Cyril Parfett, Her Majesty's Bodyguard of the Yeoman of the Guard.
• William Roper.
• Corporal of Horse Stanley Vaudin, The Life Guards.
• James Watt.
• Cyril Alfred Webb.
• Arthur Leslie Wrixen.

Order of the British Empire

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)

• Sir Hamilton Edward de Coucey Howard, Bt., Lord Mayor of London.

Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE)

• Unity Viola, Mrs Lister, O.B.E. For political and public services in London.
• The Right Honourable Bridget Horatia, Baroness Plowden. For services to Education.

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

• Vice Admiral Louis Edward Stewart Holland Le Bailly, C.B., O.B.E.
• Lieutenant-General Allan MacNab Taylor, M.C., late Royal Armoured Corps.
• The Right Honourable John Alexander, Viscount Goschen, O.B.E. For political and public services.
• David Charles Beresford Holden, C.B., E.R.D., Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance for Northern Ireland, and Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
• Colonel Arthur Noble, C.B., D.S.O., T.D., Vice-Chairman, Council of Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Associations.
• Frank Wood, C.B., Secretary, Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.
• The Right Honourable Kenneth Gilmour Younger, lately Director, Royal Institute of International Affairs.
• Walter Frederick Pretyman. For services to agriculture and industry in Brazil.
• Gordon Arthur Ransome, C.B.E., lately Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Medicine, University of Singapore.

Australian States

State of Victoria

• The Honourable Gilbert Lawrence Chandler, C.M.G., M.L.C., Government Leader in the Legislative Council.

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Order of the Companions of Honour (CH)

• The Right Honourable Arnold Abraham, Baron Goodman. For public services.
• Herbert Norman Howells, C.B.E., Composer.
• John Egerton Christmas Piper, Painter.

New Zealand

Knight Bachelor

• The Honourable Clifford Parris Richmond - of Wellington, judge of the Court of Appeal. For outstanding services to the law.
• Reginald Charles Frank Savory CBE - of Auckland. For outstanding services to local government and education.

Order of the Bath

Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)

Military Division

• [[Richard James Holden Webb|Lieutenant-General Richard James Holden Webb CBE]] - Chief of Defence Staff.

Order of Saint Michael and Saint George

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG)

• Lawrence David Hickford OBE - of Taranaki. For very valuable services to local government and the dairy industry.
• Shapton Donald Sinclair - of Waimea West. For very valuable services as chairman of the New Zealand Apple and Pear Marketing Board.

Order of the British Empire

Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE)

Civil Division

• [[Malcolm Burns|Malcolm McRae Burns CBE]] - principal, Lincoln College, Christchurch. For outstanding services to the community.

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Civil Division

• [[Harry Barker (mayor)|Harry Heaton Barker OBE]] - mayor of Gisborne. For very valuable services to local government.
• John Denis McGrath - of Wellington. For very valuable services to the community.
• Eric Bruce Mackenzie - of Wellington. For very valuable services as general manager of the New Zealand Electricity Department.
• [[Tipi Tainui Ropiha|Tipi Tainui Ropiha ISO]] - of Auckland. For very valuable services to the Māori race.

Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Civil Division

• Whitford James Brown. For valuable services as mayor of Porirua.
• Mrs Phyllis Elaine Brusey - of Days Bay. For valuable services to the arts.
• John Cowie - of Lower Hutt. For valuable services to cricket.
• Samuel Jamieson - of Wellington. For valuable services as director of the Animal Health Division, Ministry of Agriculture.
• John Lambert Kerr - of Christchurch. For valuable services to cricket.
• Ralph McGlashen - of Auckland. For valuable services to education.
• Amos Robinson McKegg. For valuable services as chairman of the Palmerston North Hospital Board.
• Juro Tomin Mazuran - of Auckland. For valuable services to the wine making industry.
• Arthur John Nicoll - of Ashburton. For valuable services to trotting.
• John Philp QFSM - of Invercargill. For valuable services as chairman of the Southland Harbour Board.
• Alfred Geoffrey Scott MBE - of Wellington, manager of the National Film Unit.
• John Malfroy Staveley MC - of Auckland. For valuable services to medicine.
• Samuel James Thompson - of Levin. For valuable services to the community.

Military Division

• Captain Samuel Fenwick Mercer - Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Colonel Russell Williden Kerr Ainge - Colonels' List (Regular Force).
• Group Captain William Robert Duncan MBE - Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE)

Civil Division

• Alan Searle Alsweiler - of Invercargill. For services to the community.
• William Albert Edward Archer - of Auckland. For services to the community.
• George Noble Boulton - of Wanganui. For services to the community.
• Oswald Astley Cheesman - of Auckland. For services to music.
• Fletcher Roy Christian - of Auckland. For services to rugby league football.
• Edward Walton Christiansen - of Auckland. For services to the blind.
• William Augustus Christiansen - of Whangarei. For services to local government.
• Mrs Jean Clark - of Wellington. For services to the community.
• Mrs Geraldine Dora Davison - of Geraldine. For services to the community.
• Alfred Gordon Freeman - of Te Awamutu. For services to local government.
• James Hassall - of Tokoroa. For services to the community.
• The Reverend Canon Beaumont Harold Pierard - of Hamilton. For services to the community.
• David Stanley Radcliffe MM - of Edgecumbe. For services to the community.
• Hugh Douglas Ramsay - of Dunedin. For services to the community.
• Donald Russell Robertson - of Havelock North. For services to the community.
• Mrs Muriel Bessie Fullerton-Smith - of Marton. For services to equestrian sport.
• Bertrand Charles Maurice Spiers - of Murchison. For services to education.
• Miss Marion Watson Stewart - of Tauranga. For services to the community.
• Norman Stephen Tankersley - of Masterton. For services to local government.

Military Division

• Warrant Control Electrical Mechanician Bruce Arthur Allen - Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Lieutenant Commander (Sp) Alexander George Innes - Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve.
• Major Bruce Graham Jenkin - Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers (Regular Force).
• Captain (Temporary Major) Brian Howard Martin ED - Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (Territorial Force).
• Lieutenant and Quartermaster Donald Frank Williams - Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Regular Force).
• Flight Lieutenant Sean Christopher Robinson - Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• Squadron Leader Peter Sydney Rule - Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Companion of the Imperial Service Order (ISO)

• James William Dempsey - assistant general manager, New Zealand Railways.

British Empire Medal (BEM)

Civil Division

• Wilfred John Bradley - of Timaru. For services to the community.
• Miss Catherine Mary Carey (Sister Mary Aloysia) - of North Auckland. For services to education.
• Mrs Ngaire Verna Dakers - of Waimauku. For services to the community.
• Miss Lily Alice Gall - of Gore. For services to nursing.
• Mrs Maude Evelyn Hampton - of Tuatapere. For services to the community.
• Hugh Hunter - of Katikati. For services to the community.
• Mrs Edith Lucy Oldbury - of Kawhia. For services to the community.
• Mrs Olive Rose Violet Newman Parkes - of Palmerston North. For services to the community.
• Paul Edouard Quenneville - of New Caledonia. For services as caretaker of the war cemetery at Bourail.
• William Gordon Ainsley Ramsay - of Christchurch. For services as a personnel officer with the New Zealand Railways.
• Mrs Patricia Ellen Isabel Rees - of Blenheim. For services to the community.
• Mrs Ivy Mabel Thorp - of Motueka. For services to the community.

Military Division

• Temporary Warrant Control Electrical Artificer Antony Charteris Black - Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Chief Petty Officer Electrician Stanley Haines - Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Leading Medical Assistant Robert Peterson - Royal New Zealand Navy.
• Sergeant David Paul Beattie - Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Regular Force).
• Sergeant Joseph Johnston - Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.
• Flight Sergeant Kenneth Sealy Cooper - Royal New Zealand Air Force.
• Flight Sergeant William Nevis Halse - Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Royal Red Cross

Associate of the Royal Red Cross (ARRC)

• Matron Helen Mackenzie - Royal New Zealand Nursing Corps (Territorial Force).

Air Force Cross (AFC)

• Wing Commander Mervyn William Hodge - Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air

• Flight Lieutenant Harvey Hammersley - Royal New Zealand Air Force.