George Wootten

Major General Sir George Frederick Wootten KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, ED (1 May 1893 – 31 March 1970), was an Australian soldier, public servant, right wing political activist and solicitor. He rose to the rank of temporary major general during World War II. Wootten earned the respect of his soldiers and superiors; General Douglas MacArthur described him as "the best soldier in the Australian Army who had it in him to reach the highest position". He was famous, in part, for his heavy build; he had given up smoking in 1930, and by 1941—even though he was 175 cm (5 ft 9 in) tall—he weighed 127 kg (20 st).

Early life

Wootten was born on 1 May 1893 in Marrickville, Sydney, Australia. He was the seventh child of English, London-born migrant parents, William Frederick Wootten (a carpenter and later a civil engineer) and Louisa Wootten, née Old. George Wootten attended Fort Street Model School in Sydney.

He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1911, and graduated in August 1914 as a Lieutenant.