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Richard Casey, the new Minister of State in the Middle East arrives at an airport in Cairo on the morning of 4 May 1942. He is met by a group of dignitaries. Photo by William George Vanderson-

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Sir Richard Casey

Richard Casey was a statesman who served many positions in Australia during his lifetime. He was a long-serving cabinet minister, General-Governor of Australia, Ambassador to the United States and Governor of Bengal.

Learn more about Sir Richard Casey in these top 10 interesting facts

1. Sir Richard Casey Was Born in a Wealthy Family

Casey was born on August 29, 1890, in Brisbane, Queensland, to Richard Gardiner Casey and Evelyn as Richard Gavin Gardiner Casey but dropped the name Gavin in later life.

His father was a wealthy pastoralist and Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly of Irish descent. His mother was the daughter of George Harris, another wealthy pastoralist and Member of the Queensland Legislative Council.

In 1893, his father moved the family to Melbourne, and he became a rich company director.

2. Casey Educational Background

Richard Casey, Baron Casey. Photo sourced from

He was educated at Cumloden School, St. Kilda and Melbourne Grammar School. He later enrolled in engineering at the University of Melbourne, where he was a resident student at Trinity College in 1909 and 1910 but then traveled to England, entering Trinity College, Cambridge.

In 1913 he graduated from Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts, graduating with second-class honors in the mechanical sciences tripos. By Cambridge’s custom, this was translated to a Master of Arts in 1918.

3. Casey was a Distinguished Army Officer

In 1914 during the outbreak of World War, Casey joined the Australian Imperial Force receiving a commission as a lieutenant in the 3rd Infantry Brigade on September 14. He was the responsible officer looking after the German prisoners.

Casey was appointed an aide-de-camp on February 27, 1915. He served at Gallipoli as aide-de-camp to Major General Sir William Bridges.

Later Casey served in France, where he observed operational and sifted information, earning the Military Cross and raise to brigade major of the 8th Brigade. This position involved dangerous visits to the front line, and he received a Distinguished Service Order in 1918.

In June 1919, Casey resigned his commission and transferred to the Reserve of Officers, serving as a part-time intelligence officer in Melbourne. His father died in 1919 and he returned to Melbourne after the war to take over his father’s business interests.

4. After he Returned to Australia in 1931, Casey was Elected to Parliament

Casey returned to Australia in 1931 and was elected to the House of Representatives as the United Australia Party member for the Geelong-based seat of Corio. In 1933 he was appointed assistant minister and in 1935, he became treasurer.

Robert Menzies became Prime Minister in 1939 and he saw Casey as a rival and moved him to a lesser position of Supply and Development. In 1940 he resigned from parliament after he was appointed the first Australian Ambassador to the United States.

5. Casey Served as the 16th Governor-General of Australia

Photo by Cecil Beaton-

In 1965, he was appointed as Governor-General. This was the first time a non-labor prime minister had approved an Australian for the post and marked the end of the appointment of non-Australian to the office of Governor-General.

Casey served for under four years. His major constitutional issue during his reign was the disappearance of Harlod Holt, 1967, is believed he drowned while swimming in the sea near Portsea, Victoria.

Casey left the office of Governor-General in 1969. He and his wife retired to their farm at Berwick in Victoria.

6. During World War II, Casey served in Several Government Positions

Richard Casey, the new Minister of State in the Middle East arrives at an airport in Cairo on the morning of 4 May 1942. He is met by a group of dignitaries. Photo by William George Vanderson-

In 1942 Casey moved to Cairo after he was appointed Minister-Resident for the Middle East, to the annoyance of Prime Minister John Curtin and some in the British Foreign Office.

In Cairo, he played the role of bringing negotiation between the British and Allied commanders in the field, local leaders and allied governments. In 1944 the Middle East stopped military threats.

The British government assigned Casey as the Governor of Bengal in India. During his reign, he dealt with the aftermath of the devastating Bengal famine of 1943 and the demand for independence from Britain by Indian patriots, represented politically by the Indian National Congress.

7. Casey Served as Ambassador to the United States

In 1940 Casey was appointed the first Australian Ambassador to the United States after he resigned from parliament. This was a vital posting during wartime, but it removed him from domestic politics.

Casey was stationed in Washington, D.C, and when the US entered into war, he played a major role in establishing the alliance between the US and Australia. In this effort, he managed to engage the service of public relation counselor Earl Newsom.

8. He was the Federal President of the Liberal Party

Richard Casey, Baron Casey. Photo sourced from

Casey came to Australia hoping to be elected to parliament in the 1946 election and become the leader of the new Liberal Party. 

He was late to organize his pre-selection for a seat, but instead, he was persuaded to become Federal President of the Liberty Party in September 1947. He proved to be a very effective fundraiser partly due to his past social and business connection.

The Liberals won the 1949 election, and he returned to the House of Representatives as a Member for the outer Melbourne seat of La Trobe. He held various national development positions until 1951.

In 1951 Casey held the Minister for External Affairs position and was dispatched to the Washington embassy. This was during the height of the cold war, the Suez Crisis, the Vietnam War and other major events.

9. He Was a Life Peer of the British House of Lords

Casey was made a life peer of the British House of Lords on May 16, 1960. British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan recommended this; he took the title Baron Casey of Berwick in the State of Victoria in the Commonwealth of Australia and the City of Westminster.

Lord Casey made yearly trips to London and appeared in the House of Lords but had no obvious constituency.

10. Casey Marriage Life

Casey married Ethel Mariam Summer (Maie) Ryan in 1926, daughter of Sir Charles Snodgrass Ryan, with whom he had two children.

In 1969 Casey retired and moved with his wife to their farm in Berwick, Victoria. In 1974 Casey was involved in a car accident; he, his wife, daughter and son survived the accident. 

Casey died on June 17, 1976, at St. Vincent Fitzroy, where he was treated because of injuries sustained during the accident and was buried in Mount Macedon cemetery.