Macarthur-Onslow, the son of grazier
Arthur Macarthur-Onslow, enlisted in the
Citizens Military Force in 1924. In 1935, he was appointed captain Ex Reserve of Officers in the 2nd Military District of the Australian Field Artillery; on 31 June 1936 he was appointed a captain in the
Royal Australian Artillery. On 26 May 1939, he was appointed captain of the 2nd Australian Armoured Regiment and a captain in the
Second Australian Imperial Force. He was promoted
major in October 1939 and served with the 6th Australian Division Reconnaissance Regiment. On 11 June 1941 he was promoted
lieutenant colonel and placed in command of the
6th Division Cavalry Regiment, and on 23 April 1942 was appointed second in command of the
1st Armoured Brigade. On 14 July he was promoted temporary
brigadier to command of the brigade. From February 1943 until February 1946 Macarthur-Onslow commanded the
4th Armoured Brigade. He relinquished command in March 1946 and was granted the rank of honorary brigadier; he was promoted brigadier on 4 January 1949. He was discharged in August 1953 but re-enlisted in August 1954, commanding the
2nd Division; he transferred to the Reserve on 1 December 1957 and was appointed to the Military Board on 1 December 1958 as a major general. Between 1966 and 1979, he served as President of the
National Rifle Association of Australia. Macarthur-Onslow was also politically active; he was by far the most successful candidate for the
Liberal Democratic Party at the
1943 federal election, coming close to winning the seat of
Eden-Monaro. He contested Eden-Monaro again for the
Liberal Party in 1946 and 1949. ==References==