Biographical Note

Ernest Ker Squires was born on 18 December 1882 at Poona, India. He was educated at Eton, England and the Royal Military College, Woolwich. He was commissioned in the Royal Engineers in January 1903, and served in India for twelve years. For his services in France and Mesopotamia he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Military Cross as a major of the Royal Engineers, serving with the Indian army. He was also mentioned six times in despatches during World War I and in 1919 during the Afghan War. He was promoted to Major-General in 1935.

In June 1938, the Australian government chose to appoint a British officer, Lieutenant-General Ernest K. Squires to the post of Inspector-General of the Australian Military Forces. Squire's submitted his one and only report before the onset of World War II, which had important ramifications for the organisation of the Army. His proposals included the raising of a permanent force of all-arms, establishing a simplified command arrangement, forming new militia units, increasing the peacetime size of the army, early retirement and the introduction of an administrative system more suited to active service. The Lyons' government approved many of the recommendations, but in 1939 Menzies withdrew approval for formation of a permanent force of 3600 troops.

In September 1939, he was confirmed Chief of General Staff. Squires died in on the 2 March 1940, following surgery for cancer.

References:
Australian dictionary of biography (1990), volume 12, 1891-1939, Smy-Z, p. 41-42.

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