Thomas Alfred John Playfair DSO OBE VD (13 October 1890 – 9 August 1966) was an Australian politician, military officer and meat exporter.
Jack Playfair attended Sydney Church of England Grammar School and learned the meat trade at the Smithfield Meat Market in London in 1906 before returning to the family business in Sydney - Thomas Playfair Ltd.[1] In 1910 Playfair enlisted as a gunner in the Australian Field Artillery (New South Wales).
He was mentioned in dispatches five times, awarded the Distinguished Service Order and the Volunteer Officers' Decoration, and achieved the rank of Brigade Major.
In World War II he commanded the 2nd Division's Artillery unit, and was promoted to brigadier.
He modernised the plant and added a smallgoods factory which enabled the firm during World War II to become the largest supplier of canned sausages to the AIF and to the US forces in the Pacific.