Walter Crocker

Walter Russell Crocker was an Australian scholar and diplomat. He was born in 1902 and educated at the University of Adelaide, Balliol College, Oxford and Stanford University. From 1952 to 1970 Sir Walter served Australia with distinction for eighteen years as ambassador in a variety of countries including India (1952-1955 and 1958-1962), Indonesia, Canada, Nepal, Belgium and The Netherlands, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Italy. Following his retirement from the diplomatic service in 1970, Sir Walter returned home to Adelaide where he served as a member of the Council of Adelaide University from 1971-1978. In 1973 he was appointed lieutenant governor of South Australia, a position he held until 1982. He was appointed KBE in 1978. Sir Walter was a prolific writer publishing numerous magazine articles, lectures and books during his career. Nehru: A Contemporary’s Estimate was published in 1966.