George J Knox

An Unlikely Diplomat

A Memoir

• Broschiertes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

WARD OF THE STATE - AIR FORCE - BRITISH NUCLEAR TESTS VETERAN - COLD WAR DIPLOMAT - BUSINESS This is a true-life story told by a man who believes that despite his start in life he succeeded in reaching the almost impossible goals he set for himself. There is much to interest the reader: Domestic and child abuse - Ward of the state - Orphanages - RAAF service, British nuclear tests at Maralinga, Office of the Air Attaché, Washington, DC, USA; and Foreign Service at embassies in Moscow, USSR in the '60s and again in the '70s, at Santiago de Chile, and the Consulate-General in Chicago, USA, and Business. The author spent his formative years in orphanages run by the Christian Brothers in Western Australia. After serving in the Royal Australian Air Force, he travelled, lived and worked in western Canada, and Washington, DC with the Office of the Air Attaché, Joint Staff HQ. He served with the Department of Foreign affairs (DFA) with postings to Moscow, Santiago de Chile, Chicago, and Moscow again, until being declared persona non grata by the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs after which he continued his career with the DFA back in Australia. After retiring from DFA, he had a successful career in business as a restauranteur on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia, and later managed several film and video companies. His last business before retiring was as Agency Head of the French company Bollé in Queensland. After working as a volunteer, he returned to the workforce and joined the Administrative Appeals Tribunal in Brisbane. He now works with the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and the Department of Foreign Affairs as a Protocol Officer facilitating the visits of royalty, foreign presidents, prime ministers, and foreign ministers to Australia.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Sid Harta Publishers
• Seitenzahl: 372
• Erscheinungstermin: 21. August 2023
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 216mm x 140mm x 22mm
• Gewicht: 524g
• ISBN-13: 9781922958211
• ISBN-10: 1922958212
• Artikelnr.: 68706971

Autorenporträt

Ihave found that writing about one's own life experiences has been emotionally draining, so much so that I had to leave it at times for several years. I shall endeavour to provide at least some clarity and understanding of the impact on one family in Western Australia during the Great Depression and Second World War (WW2) and the day-to-day struggle within the orphanages where my brother Robert (Bob) were placed.Despite the above, I set myself goals that I was fortunate enough to achieve in the years that followed, at Clontarf Boys Town, by serving in both the Royal Australian Air Force, in Australia's Foreign Service as a career overseas officer and finally by returning to Federal government service as a protocol officer with the departments of prime minister and cabinet and foreign affairs and trade. Some may disapprove of my referring to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade officers and staff from other departments serving at Australian overseas missions as Foreign Service officers. However, while writing this memoir, I have found that it has simplified and encapsulated the core name of the many Australian Government departments that often serve at our diplomatic missions overseas.I should have devoted so much more detail in this book to the wives and children of Foreign Service officers and the single staff who commit themselves to leave their family and friends for years at a time to face the difficulties, disruptions, illnesses, and dangers that so often occur while working at overseas missions. However, that would have been a book in itself. George J. Knox