Edwin Tivey

Edwin Tivey is one of the least remembered generals in the AIF despite being the only man to command 8th Australian Brigade during the war, a surprising record given the Australian policy of deliberately resting formation commanders from time to time. Tivey’s anonymity have something to do with his depiction as an ‘English-like’ commander, which appears not be a compliment, and perhaps because he took no part in the fighting on Gallipoli. Charles Bean described him as ‘a nice little man who fancies himself a bit’.

Tivey was born in Inglewood, Victoria, the son of John R Tivey, a shopkeeper. He qualified as an accountant and became a member of the Melbourne Stock Exchange in 1903. His military connections began in 1889, when he was commissioned in the Victorian Rangers. He served in the South African War with the 4th Victorian Regiment, winning the DSO.

When the European War broke out Tivey was CO 3rd Light Horse Brigade, but he was not appointed to the AIF until July 1915, when he took command of the newly formed 8th Brigade, in whose recruitment he played a leading part. Tivey’s one real mention in the history books is as a result of 8th Brigade deploying to the Suez Canal by train, while other units of 4th and 5th Australian Divisions marched for three days across blisteringly hot deserts.

Henceforth, 8th Brigade were stigmatised as ‘Tivey’s Chocs’, chocolate soldiers who looked good but could not take the heat, an image the formation had plenty of opportunity to dispel on the Western Front. Brigadier-General Tivey was twice wounded and gassed once during the war and was six times mentioned in despatches. He was a prudent, sensible commander.

It is no surprise that he was also a successful stockbroker, leaving more than £75,000 at his death in 1947 (the equivalent of £2.5 million in 2025)