General Sir Francis George Hassett, AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO (11 April 1918 – 11 June 2008) was an Australian general who rose to the position of Chief of the Defence Force Staff, the professional head of the Australian Defence Force, serving in this capacity from November 1975 until April 1977.

In 1951, Hassett was appointed to command the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment in Korea, where he led the unit through some of the toughest fighting of the war.

[1] The son of a railway yard manager,[2] he attended Canterbury Boys' High School before leaving at the age of 15 and gaining employment with the Department of Tramways.

[5][6] The division sailed for the Middle East from Sydney on 10 January 1940, and disembarked in Egypt a little over a month later in preparation for service in the North African Campaign.

In an effort to complete the task before dawn, he began to walk instead of crawling and prodding for mines; one duly blew up, with Hassett suffering shrapnel wounds to his foot.

[1] When Japan entered the war, Hassett planned and controlled the brigade's embarkation from Suez and return to Australia, learning on his arrival that he had been promoted to lieutenant colonel.

[12][13] Returning to Australia after the end of the war, Hassett was posted as an instructor at the Australian Army Staff College in Toowoomba.

[3] In 1948, Hassett was posted as a staff officer to the 2nd Division, remaining in this position until March 1951, when he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR).

[1] While in command of the battalion at Holsworthy Barracks, New South Wales, the couple's first child, a daughter named Lyndal, was born.

[5] Maryang San was a two-mile-long crescent-shaped ridge with irregular extending spurs rising two hundred meters above the valley.

[9] In 1954, Hassett served as a marshal for Queen Elizabeth II's world tour, and was appointed a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order for his service.

Made a Companion of the Order of Australia in June 1975,[22] he was promoted to general in November and became Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee, the professional head of the Australian Military Forces.

[26] Following his retirement, General and Lady Hassett settled into farming near Canberra, where he was later appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal Australian Regiment.