Lew Border

Lewis Harold "Lew" Border AO LVO (16 April 1920 – 11 March 2011) was an Australian public servant and diplomat. From 1977 to 1980, Border was Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand.

Lew Border AO LVO
Born	Lewis Harold Border 16 April 1920 Bundarra, New South Wales
Died	11 March 2011 (aged 90)
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of New England
Occupation	Public servant, diplomat

Life and career

Lew Border was born on 16 April 1920 in Bundarra, New South Wales.[1] He was the son of an Anglican clergyman, the Ven Archdeacon H. Border, of Gunnedah.[2] The younger Border attended The Armidale School between 1934 and 1937,[2] then University of Sydney at the New England College.[3][4] He obtained a Bachelor of Arts.[5]

Border enlisted in the Australian Army on 22 August 1942 at the rank of Bombardier.[1] He was discharged on 20 April 1945.[6] After his military service, Border joined the Department of External Affairs in 1945.[5]

In January 1963 then External Affairs Minister Garfield Barwick announced Border's appointment as Australian Ambassador to Myanmar.[5] In June 1966 then Minister for External Affairs Paul Hasluck announced that Border was to be Australian Ambassador to South Vietnam.[3] Over the course of his two-year posting, Border described that he had seen a "noticeable strengthening" of South Vietnam's resolve to resist the challenge of Hanoi and the Vietcong.[7]

Border's next post, starting 1968, was as High Commissioner to Pakistan.[8] That year he was also appointed Australia's first Ambassador to Afghanistan whilst resident in Pakistan.[9]

In 1977 Border was announced as the next Australian High Commissioner to New Zealand. The relationship between Australia and New Zealand at the time of his posting was seen by media as "rather uncertain".[10]

Border died on 11 March 2001.[11]

Awards

Border was appointed a Lieutenant in the Royal Victorian Order during the Queen's visit to the Australian embassy in Washington in October 1957.[12]

Border was named an Officer of the Order of Australia in January 1979 in recognition of his public service.[13]

References

1. "World War Two Veteran: Border, Lewis Harold", Honouring Veterans, Australia Remembers Ltd, archived from the original on 29 January 2016
2. Barratt, Paul (2 January 2011), New England University Rugby Team 1939, archived from the original on 26 February 2015
3. "Australia appoints new man in Saigon". The Canberra Times. ACT. 8 June 1966. p. 1.
4. Lewis H. Border, University of New England, archived from the original on 29 January 2016
5. "Diplomatic postings". The Canberra Times. ACT. 11 January 1963. p. 3.
6. Service Record, Australian Government, 2002, archived from the original on 29 January 2016
7. "Ambassador leaves". The Canberra Times. ACT. 1 July 1968. p. 9.
8. "New envoy appointed". The Canberra Times. ACT. 6 June 1968. p. 5.
9. "Diplomatic relations established". The Canberra Times. ACT. 18 December 1968. p. 8.
10. Juddery, Bruce (20 July 1977). "Top-ranking envoy for NZ post". The Canberra Times. ACT. p. 10.
11. Barratt, Paul (21 March 2011), Vale Lewis Harold Border, archived from the original on 20 March 2015
12. "Search Australian Honours: BORDER, Lewis Harold, The Royal Victorian Order - Lieutenant", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 29 January 2016
13. "Search Australian Honours: BORDER, Lewis Harold, Officer of the Order of Australia", itsanhonour.gov.au, Australian Government, archived from the original on 29 January 2016