Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Brigadier Harold Edward Cohen, who died in Melbourne last night after a long illness, had had a distinguished career as soldier, parliamentarian, and business man.

Brigadier Cohen was born in Melbourne in 1881, the only child of the late Montague and Annie Cohen. His grandfather, the late Edward Cohen, was Mayor of Melbourne in 1862-63, a member of the Parliament of Victoria, and Minister for Customs. Brigadier Cohen was educated at Xavier College and the University of Melbourne, where his distinguished scholastic attainments included the Bowen Prize. He played B grade tennis and rowed with the Mercantile Club. In 1904 he won the Supreme Court Prize and was admitted to practise as a solicitor, joining the family firm of Pavey, Wilson, and Cohen. His early interest in soldiering led to him being first commissioned in the Australian Military Forces in 1901 in the Field Artillery.

On the outbreak of the First World War he took overseas the 6th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, seeing service in France and Egypt, and being awarded the CMG and DSO, and being twice mentioned in despatches. He was twice wounded in action. He was awarded the Volunteer Decoration in 1921 and the CBE in 1934.

In 1929 Brigadier Cohen entered Parliament as the member for Melbourne South in the Legislative Council, and in 1935 transferred to the Assembly as member for Caulfield, which seat he held until 1943. During his Parliamentary service he was an Honorary Minister in the Argyle Cabinet, and Victorian delegate to the Loan Council, and subsequently Solicitor-General and Minister for Education.

During the Second World War Brigadier Cohen served in the Middle East as honorary Red Cross Commissioner overseas. Returning to Australia in 1942 he was appointed director of amenities, and subsequently Deputy Adjutant-General to the AMF, which post he held until his retirement in 1944. During the whole of this period he declined all salary in respect of his Red Cross and military appointments. Brigadier Cohen had an outstanding business career, being one of the group responsible for the establishment of the paper industry in Tasmania and many other new industries, particularly the metals group.

At the time of his death, Brigadier Cohen was on the directorates of many leading companies, being, among others, chairman of directors of Electrolytic Zinc Co of Australia Ltd, Carlton and United Breweries Ltd, the Swan Brewery Ltd, the Manufacturers' Bottle Co of Victoria Pty Ltd, and the Zinc Investments Ltd, and the Standard Mutual Building Society. In addition, he was senior partner of Pavey, Wilson, and Cohen, and a director of many other companies, including Associated Pulp and Paper Mills Ltd and Glazebrooks (Australia) Pty Ltd.   He was also president of the Australian Brewers' Association and of the Victorian Associated Brewers.

Brigadier Cohen was the first president of the Melbourne Legacy Club and of the Constitutional Club, and also president of the Melbourne Rotary Club in 1926, representing Australia at the international conference at Honolulu in that year. He was chief commissioner of the Boy Scouts' Association, and acted as Chief Scout during the absence of the Governor, and was president of the association for 20 years. In addition, he was a member of the executive and chairman of the finance branch of the Victorian RSL. 

He was also an author of some note, having written a number of plays and lyrics. He had considerable Turf interests, having raced horses for the last 15 years. Perhaps his best known horse was Northwind, with which he won the Caulfield Cup in 1936. He also won a number of other good races with this horse, and was successful with Great Legend, Tomito, Dinkum Diamond, and Marocain. Brigadier Cohen was the donor of the well-known AIP golf cup, competed for an Anzac Day in each year.

He was also the donor of the "Harold Cohen prize in education" in the University of Melbourne and the "Harold Cohen scholarship in education" at the Teachers' College, Melbourne.

Brigadier Cohen leaves a widow, two sons - Major Geoffrey Cohen and Captain Edward Cohen - and two daughters, both at present resident in England, where Mrs Cohen now is visiting them.