James Johnston Auchmuty, CBE, FRHistS, FAHA (29 November 1909 – 15 October 1981) was an Irish born historian and inaugural vice-chancellor of the University of Newcastle, Australia.
[1] James Johnston Auchmuty graduated from Trinity College Dublin (BA, 1931; MA, 1934; Ph.D., 1935), having been elected a scholar of the university in 1929.
[1] Due to poor eyesight Auchmuty was unable to join the armed forces, however he was recruited by MI6 and performed intelligence work and pro-British cultural propaganda in Ireland.
Auchmuty decided to leave Ireland after World War II to avoid being interned for working on non-Irish interests.
Active in the Australian Vice-Chancellors’ Committee (chairman, 1969–71), Auchmuty was also a council member (1967 to 1974) of the Association of Commonwealth Universities and was awarded its Symons medal in 1974.