The Man
Sources for all text: John Monash: A Biography by Geoffrey Serle (Melbourne University Press, 1982) and Monash by Vernon R. Northwood with assistance from Dr. Gershon Bennett (State Electricity Commission of Victoria, 1950)
John Monash was born on 27 June 1865 at West Melbourne. He was the first child and only son of Louis and Bertha, recent migrants from Prussia, who subsequently had two daughters Mathilde and Louise. Louis was a merchant and storekeeper and the family lived for a period in Jerilderie, before returning to Melbourne to allow John to attend Scotch College, before going on to study at Melbourne University.
Above: Hannah Victoria Monash née Moss, with daughter Bertha, 1893 |  Above: John Monash with daughter Bertha, and father Louis, 1894 Louis Monash died in December 1894. His wife Bertha Monash had died in 1885. |
While at university he took an interest in debating, chess and the piano (occasionally performing in public). He was also interested in student politics and was co-founder of Melbourne University Union. In the company of friends he undertook several major walking tours in the Victorian bush and later took annual trips to Mount Buffalo and the Alps.
Among the group of friends with whom John Monash regularly visited Mt Buffalo, he was known affectionately as "Thunders Roar". An entry from one of the group's journals "The Buffalo Buster" (right) depicts Monash (centre of page) and other members of the group.
 Above: Mt Buffalo, 1908 |  Above: An entry from "The Buffalo Buster", 1908 |
During the late 1880s he led a hectic social life based around the German Club, opera, theatre and balls and dances and had several close associations with women. He "impulsively" became engaged to Hannah Victoria Moss in October 1889 and married her in April 1891. Their only child Bertha was born in January 1893.
 | Monash and Vic "maintained a heavy program of balls, concerts and theatre; going", in the period 1897-1906. Left: North Melbourne Artillery Ball, 18 July 1902 |
With growing success in his business and military careers in the early 1900s, he became a pillar of Melbourne society. He lectured and examined at the University of Melbourne, became chairman of the graduates association, president of the University Club and in 1912 was elected to the university council. During this time he was also prominent in the Boy Scout movement and in 1913 he became president of the Victorian Institute of Engineers.
Monash's triumphant return to Australia after the war was marred by the death of his wife on 27 February 1920. In the following years innumerable public demands were made on him. He became the natural spokesman for returned soldiers, from 1925 leading the annual Anzac Day march. From 1923 he was Vice-Chancellor of Melbourne University, and from 1924-26 president of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science.
Monash was a member of the Naval and Military, the Wallaby and the Beefsteak clubs and in 1922 was president of Rotary. In 1927 he lent his name to the Australian Zionist Federation as national president. His constant companion from 1920 was Elizabeth Bentwitch.
 | Right: Lieut-General Sir John Monash GCMG, KCB, VD and Miss Lizette Bentwitch 1927 watercolour on ivory |
 Above: Sir John with grandson John Monash Bennett at Iona in July 1922 |  Above: Bertha Bennett (left), and John Monash (right) with Aunt Ulrike on the occasion of her birthday, and grandsons David and John, 1926 |
Monash's haven was the family home Iona, where he lived with his daughter and delighted in his grandchildren. He took a keen interest in the garden and in 1923 after joining the Astronomical Society had a platform built there for his telescope.
 | Left: Bertha (Monash) Bennett and her children David, Elizabeth and John at Iona, early 1927. |