Major-General Winston Joseph Dugan, 1st Baron Dugan of Victoria, (3 September 1876 – 17 August 1951

Military career

Dugan was a sergeant in the Royal Sussex Regiment, but transferred to the Lincolnshire Regiment as a second lieutenant on 24 January 1900. He left Southampton two months later with a detachment sent to reinforce the 2nd battalion of his regiment in the Second Boer War. While in South Africa, he was appointed adjutant of his battalion on 28 June 1901, and promoted to lieutenant on 1 November 1901. For his service in the war, he received the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps.

He later fought with distinction in the First World War, where he was wounded and mentioned in despatches six times. He was promoted in July 1916 to the temporary rank of brigadier general and commanded the 61st (2nd South Midland) Division's 184th (2nd South Midland) Brigade on the Western Front. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1915 and appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in 1918.

In 1929 he was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) and the following year he was promoted to major general. From June 1931 to June 1934 he commanded the 56th (London) Infantry Division, Territorial Army.

Governor of South Australia

In 1934, Dugan was appointed Governor of South Australia. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG), retired from the army and moved to Adelaide with his wife. They became an extremely popular and glamorous vice-regal couple. Sir Winston and Lady Dugan were both excellent public speakers, and travelled widely to bring problems to the attention of the ministers of the day. He gave moral and financial support to numerous good causes and needy individuals. Upon the expiration of his term, there was bipartisan parliamentary support for him to serve a second term, but he had already accepted an appointment to be Governor of Victoria.

Governor of Victoria

Sir Winston and Lady Dugan arrived in Melbourne on 17 July 1939. They continued their active role in community affairs, promoting unemployment reduction and making the ballroom of Government House, Melbourne available for the Australian Red Cross.

Personal life

Dugan married Ruby Lilian, daughter of Charles Abbott of Kilcaskan, County Cork, in 1912. There were no children from the marriage. He died at Marylebone, London, on 17 August 1951, aged 74.