Geoffrey Sambell

Geoffrey Tremayne Sambell CMG, Mention in Dispatches (28 October 1914 – 19 December 1980[1]) was an Australian Anglican bishop and World War 2 army chaplain.

Ketoba, New Guinea, 1944-01-29. Padre Sambell, Unit Chaplain of 57th/60th Battalion, conducting an impromptu prayer meeting on a track near the Boku River.

Sambell was born on 28 October 1914 at Broadford, Victoria.[2] He was educated at Melbourne High School and studied at The University of Melbourne. He was Deacon in 1940 and ordained in early 1941.[3][4] He began his ordained ministry in Malvern, Victoria, before enlisting in 1942 as an army chaplain,[5] serving during World War 2 with the Second Australian Imperial Force in the jungles of the north western ranges of New Guinea (Service Number VX104114).[6] He ministered first to soldiers of the 57th/60th Battalion which was raised in Victoria[7] and then to the 2/11th Battalion raised from Western Australia.[8] He was an extremely popular padre among the soldiers he served, and with whom he served.[9] Sambell's studies at The University of Melbourne were interrupted by the war, and he graduated Bachelor of Arts after recommencing his studies (as so many did) after the war.[10]

Following the war he became director of the Melbourne Diocesan Centre,[11] Director of the Brotherhood of St Laurence[12] and Archdeacon of Essendon.[13] He was Bishop Coadjutor of Diocese from 1962 to 1969 when he was elected Archbishop of Perth[14] and Metropolitan of Western Australia,[15] posts he held to his death.

References

1. The Times, 27 December 1980; pg. 14; Issue 60808; col F Obituary The Most Rev G. T. Sambell
2. Colin Holden, 'Sambell, Geoffrey Tremayne (1914–1980)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sambell-geoffrey-tremayne-11606/text20723, published first in hardcopy 2002, accessed online 28 November 2018.
3. Crockford's Clerical Directory 1975-76 London: Oxford University Press, 1976 ISBN 0-19-200008-X
4. Padre Geoffrey Sambell http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/religion/display/97533-padre-geoffrey-sambell
5. ADB
6. World War Two Service Veteran Details: Captain Sambell, Geoffrey Tremayne http://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=790403&c=WW2#R
7. KETOBA, NEW GUINEA. 1944-01-29. VX104114 CHAPLAIN G.T SAMBELL (CHURCH OF ENGLAND) UNIT PADRE OF THE 57/60TH INFANTRY BATTALION https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C46878
8. Padre Geoffrey Sambell http://monumentaustralia.org.au/themes/people/religion/display/97533-padre-geoffrey-sambell
9. Corfield, Robin (1991). Hold Hard, Cobbers: The Story of the 57th and 60th and 57/60th Australian Army Infantry Battalions, 1912–1990. Volume II (1930–1990). Glenhuntly, Victoria: 57/60th Battalion (AIF) Association. ISBN 0-646-04099-5
10. Sambell Oration http://bsltimeline.pbworks.com/w/page/5584043/Sambell%20Oration
11. Victoria Government Gazette
12. Challen, Michael B. (1986). Occasional Paper — G.T. Sambell Memorial Trust: Parish Piety and Public Pragmatism http://library.bsl.org.au/jspui/bitstream/1/9197/1/challenm_Parish_piety_and_public_pragmatism_the_sixth_G_T_Sambell_Memorial_Oration_1986.pdf
13. “Who was Who” 1897-1990 London, A & C Black, 1991 ISBN 0-7136-3457-X
14. Perth Anglican Archived 2007-08-31 at the Wayback Machine
15. Porter, A.E. (1990) Biography of Geoffrey Tremayne Sambell 1914-1980. Archbishop of Perth 1969-1980. Centre for WA history