Hugh Alexander Dunn Papers
Collection
Biographical notes, correspondence, speeches, diaries, manuscripts, certificates, photographs, awards and newspaper clippings of Hugh Alexander Dunn from 1942 through 2004. These papers relate to Hugh Dunn's diplomatic career in Asia, Africa and South America, his membership in the Australia-China and Queensland-China councils, his academic career in Asian Studies and his personal life.
Hugh Dunn, classical scholar and Australian diplomat was born in Townsville, where his father James McIntyre Dunn was the manager of a family group of newspapers. Hugh was educated at Brisbane Grammar School, where he was Dux and School Captain. During the war he served in the highly secret first signals intelligence unit and afterwards he completed his BA at the University of Queensland and became Queensland Rhodes Scholar in 1949. Dunn was recruited into the Department of External Affairs in London and in 1955 was posted to Japan. He went on to become Australian representative on the United Nations Commission for the Rehabilitation and Unification of Korea and was posted to Saigon. In 1969, he was offered the post of ambassador to Taiwan and remained in that position until recalled by the Whitlam Government in December 1972. Dunn went on to serve as Australian High Commissioner to Kenya, Uganda, and Seychelles, and Ambassador too Ethiopia (1978-1980); Ambassador to Taiwan (1969-1972); Ambassador to Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Peru (1973-1976), and Ambassador to the People's Republic of China (1980-1984). He left China in 1984 and in 1985 was made an Officer of the Order of Australia. Hugh Dunn was a member of the Australia-China Council 1985-88 and a member of the Queensland-China Council for 18 years. After his retirement, Dunn became visiting Professor in the School of Modern Asian studies at Griffith University and adjunct professor at the Department of History at the University of Queensland.
In copyright.