Victor Windeyer
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Sir William John Victor Windeyer KBE CB DSO PC KC (1900 – 1987), Australian judge, soldier and educator, was a Justice of the High Court of Australia.
Windeyer was born in Sydney, into a legal family: his father, William Archibald Windeyer, was a Sydney solicitor, his uncle Richard Windeyer was a King's Counsel, his grandfather was William Charles Windeyer, twice Attorney-General of New South Wales and Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, and his great-grandfather Sir Richard Windeyer was a barrister and member of the first elected Parliament of New South Wales, sitting in the New South Wales Legislative Council. Windeyer studied at Sydney Grammar School and later at the University of Sydney, from where he graduated with a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws in 1922. He also won the university's Medal in History.
In 1925, Windeyer was admitted to the New South Wales Bar Association. From 1929 to 1940, he lectured at the University of Sydney, teaching equity and commercial law, and until 1936, legal history. He was also Deputy-Chancellor of the university from 1955 to 1958. In 1944 he had been created a Commander of the British Empire, and in 1949 he was made a King's Counsel. In 1953 he was made a Commander of the Order of the Bath.
During World War II, Windeyer held the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in the Second Australian Imperial Force, and commanded the Sydney University Regiment and the 2/48th Australian Infantry Battalion, part of the Australian 9th Division. The 9th Division fought in the North African Campaign, including the Siege of Tobruk, the New Guinea Campaign and the Borneo Campaign. He was later promoted to Brigadier, and commanded the 20th Australian Infantry Brigade, during which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. From 1950 to 1952 Windeyer commanded the Australian 2nd Division after being promoted to Major-General.
After returning to Australia, Windeyer continued to practise as a barrister and was appointed to the bench of the High Court on 8 September 1958. Later that year he was created a Knight of the British Empire. He was elevated to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1963. He sat on the bench of the High Court until his retirement on 29 February 1972.
Windeyer died in 1987. His son, William Windeyer, is currently a Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.
