John Alexander Lachlan Shaw, CBE, DSO (26 August 1902 – 20 April 1983) was an Australian civil engineer, soldier and New South Wales public servant, who served as the NSW Commissioner for Main Roads from 1962 to 1967.

[5] In May 1932, he was transferred to Newcastle to set up the divisional office of the newly-established Department of Main Roads, and then later was appointed the Metropolitan Engineer based in Sydney.

When the Second World War broke out, Shaw took a leave of absence from the department and enlisted on 8 July 1940 in the 2/12 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers.

[13] His award citation reads: During operations in Malaya in 1942, Major Shaw, the Officer Commanding 2/12 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers, was responsible for the demolitions between Segamat and Johore Bahru, and, when on Singapore Island, for the destruction of oil stores and the wireless mast at Kranji.

His organisation, courage and coolness under enemy fire were largely responsible for the great success of this work which proved very valuable on many occasions.

[27] In January 1971, he was elected as chairman of the council, expressing his interest in the beautification of street electricity infrastructure: "I think that if undergrounding cannot be done then the poles should be made more attractive and erected straighter.

[29] Shaw's funeral was held on 26 April 1983 at St Matthew's Anglican Church, Manly, and he was buried at Frenchs Forest Cemetery.

[4] In 1991, his son established the "JAL and DL Shaw Award" with the gift of $10 000 in memory of his father, for graduates of the University of Sydney Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.