Letters to Lieutenant John Desmond Peck concerning the Victory March and the investiture of the DCM, citation and personal papers of Lieutenant Peck, 1945-1951 - Part 4

To have the honour to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen
and Queen Mary.
His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
request the honour of the company of
Lieutenant J.D. Peck.
at an Evening Reception,
to be held by gracious permission of His Majesty The King,
at Hampton Court Palace, on Tuesday the 11th June, 1946.
from 9 p.m. till 12 midnight.
The Right Honourable J.Chuter Ede, M.P., Secretary of State for the
Home Department, and the Right Honourable George Tomlinson, M.P.,
Minister of Works, will receive the guests.
Informal Day Dress.
An early answer is requested to
The Secretary, Government Hospitality,
7. Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, S.W.1.

D
Lt. J.D. Peck.
Australian Contingent 
"D" Lines 

To have the honour to meet Their Majesties The King and Queen
and Queen Mary.
His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland
request the honour of the company of
Mrs. Peck.
at an Evening Reception,
to be held by gracious permission of His Majesty The King,
at Hampton Court Palace, on Tuesday the 11th June, 1946.
from 9 p.m. till 12 midnight.
The Right Honourable J.Chuter Ede, M.P., Secretary of State for the
Home Department, and the Right Honourable George Tomlinson, M.P.,
Minister of Works, will receive the guests.
Informal Day Dress.
An early answer is requested to
The Secretary, Government Hospitality,
7. Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, S.W.1.

Lt J.D. Peck. D

AUSTRALIAN MILITARY FORCES
(MILITARY SECRETARY)
HEADQUARTERS
VICTORIA BARRACKS
MELBOURNE, S.C.1
Dear Lieut Peck.
On the termination of your war-time services I am directed by the Commander-in-Chief to
express to you his appreciation of the services you have rendered; and to convey to you his sincere
wishes for success in the future.
It is appreciated that many officers may wish to avail themselves of the opportunity to
serve actively in the post-war Citizen Military Forces and in some cases in the Permanent Military
Forces; but at this juncture it is not possible to state just what form of service may be available
in the future.
It is therefore, necessary, on termination of war-time services, that all officers be either
transferred to the Reserve of Officers, be placed on the Retired List, or be Retired; and you will
be advised in due course of the form of your disposal by the HQ L of C Area or Command in
which your services are terminated. 
Full particulars regarding the status, obligations, rank or military title of officers after
termination of service on the Active List are set out in AMR & O and Standing Orders, but for
ease of reference are given in summarized form in the attachment hereto. 
The Commander-in-Chief hopes that you will retain an interest in the affairs of the Army
in whatever form it may take in the post-war years. 
A.R. Baxter Cox 
Brigadier, 
MILITARY SECRETARY. 
[*30th July 46.*]

OBLIGATIONS AND STATUS OF OFFICERS AFTER TERMINATION OF WAR SERVICES
1. Reserve of Officers
(a) Status. Officers who are placed on the Reserve of Officers List become officers of the Reserve Citizen 

Military Forces and as officers are liable to service on time of war, and to perform such other service as
may be prescribed.
Seniority is according to rank and the date of such rank, but officers are junior to all officers of similar
rank on the Active list. Upon appointment to the Active List from the Reserve of Officers, army and
regimental seniority is generally determined by the date of such appointment. 
Officers in the Reserve of Officers must report their addresses annually in January or February to the military headquarters of the State in which they reside. They will also report as it occurs, any change
of address. An officer who does not report his address as above may be retired. 
(b) Use of Rank. Officers in the Reserve of Officers will not use the title of their military rank in connection
with any business, trade or calling, or use it in correspondence or other documents, except in the course of
military duty when "R of O" will be added to the signature. Such officers may be addressed whether
in writing or verbally by the title of their military rank. They may use such title on private visiting cards,
provided "R of O" is added, but not on business cards.
(c) Wearing of Uniform. Officers in the Reserve of Officers will wear uniform, without the shoulder titles
"Australia", of the corps to which they belong only when performing authorized military duty or when
authorized by proper military authority to wear uniform for the purpose of attending a ceremony or
entertainment of an official military nature. For this purpose "proper military authority" means the
formation etc commander responsible for local administration directly under the Military Board.
2. Retired List
(a) Status. Officers who are placed on a Retired List have a military title but they are not members
of the Military Forces and have no right to command. They do not come within the definition of an
"officer" under the Defence Act. They have no commission or liability other than to notify their addresses
annually in January or February to the military headquarters of the State in which they reside but failure
to comply with this obligation will result in their names being removed from the Retired List. They may
be called up for service in any rank or capacity in time of war.
(b) Use of Military Title. Officers who are placed on a Retired List have the privilege of a courtesy military
title granted them when placed on that List. This military title will not be used in connection with any
business, trade or calling or be added to the signature of correspondence or other documents, except in
the course of military correspondence when the words "Retired List" will be added. Such officers may
be addressed either in writing or verbally by their military title. They may use such title on private
visiting cards provided the words "Retired List" are added, but will not use any military title on business
cards.
(c) The provisions of sub paras (a) and (b) above apply also to officers placed on the Retired List Volunteer
Defence Corps.
(d) Wearing of Uniform. Officers who are placed on a Retired List may wear the uniform of the corps with
which they were serving immediately prior to retirement with the appropriate badges of rank and the letter
"R" on each shoulder strap, but without the shoulder titles "Australia", only when attending authorized
parades, ceremonies or entertainments of an official military nature, or on such other occasions as are
authorized by the Military Board.
Officers placed on the Retired List Volunteer Defence Corps may wear the uniform of the Corps with
the latter "R", and thereunder the letters "VDC" on each shoulder strap, together with the colour patch of
the Corps on such authorized occasions.

If an officer who has been placed on a Retired List again becomes a member of the Military Forces, he
shall not whilst he remains a member of those Forces—

(i) wear any uniform or badges of rank;

(ii) use any military title; or

(iii) hold himself out as being entitled to any military rank.
except that appropriate to the rank which he then holds in those Forces.
An officer on a Retired List who has, after his retirement, become a member of the Military Forces shall,
if he is again placed on a Retired List, be granted a military title not lower from that granted to him
when he was first placed on that List.

3. Retired 
(a) Status Officers who have been retired cease to hold any position in the Military Forces. Their commissions
have been terminated. They may, as civilians, be called up for service in any rank or capacity
in times of war.
(b) Use of Military Title. Officers who have been retired will not
use any military title.
(c) Wearing of Uniform. Such officers will not wear uniforms, part of a uniform, or any badge of rank.
CONDITIONS GOVERNING TRANSFER TO R OF O, PLACEMENT ON RL, AND RETIREMENT
1. Reserve of Officers — Male Officers
Male officers will be eligible for transfer to the R of O if they -
(a) have had service overseas in the present war, either as an officer or other rank and medically classified
A1, A2, B1 or B2,
(b) have not had service overseas in the present war but -
(i) have had five years or more on the Active List and are medically classified A1, A2, B1 or B2: or
(ii) not having had five years on the Active List, are within the upper age limit for their rank as prescribed
by GHO A355/44 and are medically classified A1, A2, B1 or B2: or
(iii) not having the qualification mentioned in (b) (i) or (ii) have been seconded to the AIF because
of special qualifications, or who are officers of the AA, Ch D, AAMC, AA D Corps, AAVC
or AALC.
2. Retired List — Male Officers
Male officers not eligible for transfer to the R of O whose services are being terminated for other than disciplinary
reasons and who fulfil the following conditions may be placed on a Retired List if they -
(a) have had a minimum of two years commissioned service on the Active List;
(b) not having had two years on the Active List have -
(i) served overseas as an officer or other rank in this war; or
(ii) have been classified permanently medically unfit due to war service.
3. Retired — Male Officers
All male officers who are not eligible to be transferred to the Reserve of Officers or to be placed upon a Retired
List in accordance with paras 1 and 2 above, and whose commissions are not being cancelled for disciplinary
reasons, will be retired. 
4. Reserve of Officers — Female Officers
(a) Officers of the AANS, AWAS and AAMWS, other than those whose services are being terminated for
disciplinary or discreditable reasons, will be eligible for transfer to the R of O if they are medically fit
class A1, A2, B1 or B2 and have not reached the age for retirement for their appointment or rank, as
provided by regulations 6A and 6B of the Military Forces (Women's Services) Regulations.
(b) Female officers of any other corps at service of the AMF, other than those whose services are being
terminated for disciplinary or discreditable reasons, will be eligible for transfer to the R of O if they are
medically fit class A1, A2, B1 or B2 and have not reached the age for retirement for their rank as
provided in AMR & O 155.
(c) Where an officer of a women's service is transferred to the R of O, her name will be recorded in the service
of the R of O relating to the women's service of which she was a member at the time of each transfer,
irrespective of the area, corps or service in which she had been serving.
5. Retired List — Female Officers
(a) Officers of the AANS, AWAS and AAMWS and female officers of any other corps or service of the
AMF, who are not eligible for transfer to the R of O, and whose services are not being terminated for
disciplinary or discreditable reasons and who—
(i) have served overseas as an officer or other rank in this war; or
(ii) have had two years commissioned service, irrespective of whether they have reached the age for retirement;
or
(iii) have been classified permanently unfit due to war service
may be placed on the Retired List.
(b) In computing the period of qualifying service, the following provisions will apply—
(i) service prior to the gazettal of the Military Forces (Women's Services) Regulations as—
a member of the AANS, an officer of the AAWS, an officer of the VAD employed as continuous
full time war service, or an officer of the AAMWS, will count as commissioned service;
(ii) one half of any continuous full time war service in the ranks of the AWAS, the AAMWS or the
VAD, whether prior or subsequent to the gazettal of the Military Forces (Women's Services)
Regulations, will count as qualifying service.
6. Retired — Female Officers
All female officers who are not eligible to be transferred to the R of O or to be placed on the Retired List, in
accordance with paras 4 and 5 above, and whose commissions are not being cancelled for disciplinary or discreditable
reasons, will be retired.

RANK OR MILITARY TITLE AFTER TERMINATION OF WAR SERVICE
[* [[See Stop?]] *]
1. Transfer to Reserve of Officers
(a) Where for any reason, an officer eligible for promotion to substantive rank has been promoted to temporary
rank only, he will, on transfer to the R of O, be promoted to substantive rank equivalent to
temporary rank held, with effect from the day before the date of transfer to R of O.
(b) On being transferred to the R of O an officer on a PSL, holding temporary rank, who would be eligible
for substantive rank in the regimental list on which he was borne immediately prior to transfer to the PSL,
will be promoted to substantive rank as in sub para (a) above.
(c) In the case of an officer promoted to temporary rank in respect of a staff or extra regimental appointment,
no promotion in substantive rank on transfer to the R of O will be approved unless the officer comes within
the provisions of sub paras (a) or (b) above.
(d) The cases of officers holding rank of temporary Lt-Col or higher temporary rank who are recommended
for transfer to R of O will be dealt with individually.
2. Placement of Retired List
(a) As officer, who at the time of his retirement, is placed upon a Retired List may be granted a military title
equivalent to the substantive, brevet or honorary rank, held by him immediately prior to retirement.
(b) A Lieutenant-Colonel or a Major who has twenty years' commissioned service in the Active Military Forces
or a Captain or Lieutenant who has fifteen years' commissioned service in the Active Military Forces,
who at the time of his retirement is placed upon a Retired List, may be granted the military title one
step higher than the substantive or brevet rank held by him immediately prior to retirement.
(c) An officer shall not be granted upon retirement a step in military title higher than that of Colonel, except
that an officer who, whilst holding the substantive or temporary rank of Colonel in the Active Military
Forces, commanded a brigade prior to 22 Apr 38 for three years in all, may be granted the military
title of Brigadier.
(d) A quartermaster holding honorary commissioned rank who on retirement is placed upon a Retired List may
be granted a military title as if such honorary rank was substantive rank.
(e) One-half of any service in the ranks in the Permanent Forces and one-fifth of any such service in the 
Active Citizen Forces may be counted for the purposes of sub para (b) as commissioned service.
(f) An officer upon whom the local or temporary rank of Brigadier, Major-General, Lieutenant-General or
General has been conferred in time of war, or who has held the rank of Brigadier for three years in all,
or who holds that rank at the time of his retirement on account of age, may, upon the recommendation of
the Military Board, be placed upon a Retired List upon his retirement, and be granted the military title
of the rank so conferred or held.

[[L.H.Q. Press-3767-9/45-30?]]