Brian Hill (diplomat)

Brian Clarence Hill (24 October 1919 – 7 May 1998) was an Australian diplomat. He held senior diplomatic postings from the early 1950s through to the late 1970s, including as head of mission in Moscow (1953–1954), Ambassador to South Vietnam (1961–1964), Permanent Representative to the UN Office in Geneva (1964–1969), Ambassador to Egypt (1969–1972), High Commissioner to New Zealand (1974–1977), Ambassador to Ireland (1977–1978), and Ambassador to Sweden (1978–1980).

Brian Hill
Born
Brian Clarence Hill

(1919-10-24)24 October 1919
Died7 May 1998(1998-05-07) (aged 78)
NationalityAustralian
Alma materCanberra University College
Occupation(s)Public servant, diplomat

Life and career

Hill was born on 24 October 1919. He began working for the Department of External Affairs in 1946.[1] He had attended the School of Diplomatic Studies at Canberra University College.[2]

In October 1953 Hill succeeded John McMillan as chargé d'affaires and head of mission in Moscow, in the absence of an official ambassador to the Soviet Union. As a result of the Petrov Affair of 1954, diplomatic relations between Australia and the Soviet Union were severed and the Australian embassy was closed. Hill and his colleagues were ordered to leave the country within three days, and spent seven hours burning documents.[3] However, their departure was delayed by the Soviet foreign ministry's refusal to grant them exit visas.[4][5] Hill remained in Europe after his expulsion, as chargé d'affaires in Bonn, West Germany.[6]

In 1961 Hill was appointed Ambassador to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), replacing Bill Forsyth.[7] In 1964 he was appointed to succeed Robert Furlonger as Australia's consul-general in Geneva, Switzerland, and Permanent Representative of Australia to the United Nations Office in Geneva, with the rank of ambassador.[8]

In 1974 Hill was appointed High Commissioner to New Zealand, replacing Annabelle Rankin.[9] In 1976 he was announced as the new Ambassador to Ireland, following the recall of Vince Gair.[10] In 1978 he succeeded Lance Barnard as resident Ambassador to Sweden, with accreditation also to Norway and Finland.[11] He was also accredited as non-resident Ambassador to the Holy See in 1979.[12] He retired from the Department of Foreign Affairs in 1980 with the rank of first assistant secretary.[13]

Hill died on 7 May 1998, at the age of 78.[14]

References
  1. "Offices abolished, created, etc.: Department of External Affairs". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 4 July 1946. p. 1863.
  2. "Canberra University College commencement". The Canberra Times. 11 April 1946.
  3. "Brian Hill describes last few days in Moscow". The Canberra Times. 4 May 1954.
  4. "Embassy Staff Again Disappointed". The Advertiser. 28 April 1954.
  5. Horne, Donald (28 April 1954). "Anti-Red Finns ready to welcome Australians". The Daily Telegraph.
  6. "But it could be so". The Argus. 28 July 1955.
  7. "New envoy named for S. Vietnam". The Canberra Times. 1 November 1961.
  8. "Appointment to Geneva". The Canberra Times. 23 May 1964.
  9. "Envoys to NZ and Vatican". The Canberra Times. 13 June 1974.
  10. "Gair returning". The Canberra Times. 12 March 1976.
  11. "By the way". The Canberra Times. 4 June 1978.
  12. "Holy See envoy". The Canberra Times. 7 February 1979.
  13. "Retirements and dismissals". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. No. PS22. 29 May 1980. p. 3.
  14. "Brian Clarence Hill". The Sydney Morning Herald. 9 May 1998. p. 126. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
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