Eulogy
Major General Duncan Francis
AO OBE Rtd
By Mr Leo Mahony
National President, RUSI of Australia Incorporated
It is my sad duty to advise the members of the National Council of the Royal United Services Institute of Australia of the death on Tuesday, 26 October 2004, of Major-General Duncan Francis AO, OBE, Rtd, after a relatively short illness.
The then Brigadier Francis joined the USI of the ACT in 1982 and was elected to the Council in August 1983. He was subsequently posted to Sydney where he served on the Council of the RUSI of NSW. On returning to Canberra, the newly promoted Major-General Francis transferred back to the USI of the ACT and was again elected to Council.
In September 1990, Duncan Francis became President of the USI of the ACT, serving through until September 1993. He has continued to serve on the Council since.
Duncan Francis was elected as National President of the Royal United Services Institute of Australia in October 1990, and was re-elected in the two subsequent years, serving until October 1993.
Duncan presided at the highly successful RUSI of Aust International Seminar held in Canberra in October 1991.
Duncan was a close personal friend of mine. I shall always be grateful to him for his friendship over many years and in particular for his fine tribute to me at the Annual General Meeting of the USI of the ACT on Wednesday, 1 September 2004, when he was showing signs of his final illness.
May he rest in peace.