Person
Lewis, Ronald Bannatyne (1898 - 1985)
CBE
- Born
- 20 August 1898
Esternwick, Victoria, Australia - Died
- 7 July 1985
Balwyn, Victoria, Australia - Occupation
- Civil engineer
Summary
Ronald Lewis, CBE BSc BCE BME FIEAust MInstCE, was the Director-General, Commonwealth Department of Works. He had been Director of Engineering, Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing from 1945, following on from his role as Chief Civil Engineer, Allied Works Council during the Second World War. Through the Department of Works, he was closely involved in the development of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme from 1943 to 1974.
His distinguished contribution to engineering was recognised when he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1958; awarded the Kernot Memorial Medal in 1962; and appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1963.
Details
Chronology
- 1921 - 1926
- Career position - Civil engineer, State Electricity Commission Victoria
- 1926
- Career event - Associate Member (AMIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1926 - 1936
- Career position - Engineer, Assistant Manager, Branch Manager, Hume Pipe (Far East) Ltd. [Singapore and Hong Kong]
- 1936 - 1941
- Career position - Commercial Engineer, Hume Pipe and Hume Steel (Aust)
- 1942 - 1945
- Career position - Chief Civil Engineer, Allied Works Council
- 1945 - 1958
- Career position - Director of Engineering, Commonwealth Department of Works and Housing
- 1949
- Career event - Member (MIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia
- 1953
- Award - Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
- 1958 - 1961
- Career position - Deputy Director-General, Department of Works
- 12 Jun 1958
- Award - Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) - Director of Engineering of the Works Department
- 1961 - 1963
- Career position - Deputy Commissioner, representingthe Commonwealth, River Murray Waters Act
- 1961 - c. 1963
- Career position - Director-General, Department of Works
- 1962
- Award - Kernot Memorial Medal, for distinguished engineering achievement in Australia. Faculty of Engineering, University of Melbourne
- 1 Jan 1963
- Award - Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) - Director of the Commonwealth Works Department
- 1964
- Career position - Deputy Commisioner, River Murray Commission
- 13 Sep 1968
- Career event - Fellow (FIEAust), Institution of Engineers Australia [Former Members were designated Fellows on this date.]
- 1985
- Buried - Boroondara Cemetery, Kew, Victoria
Related entries
Sibling
Published resources
Edited Books
- Alexander, Joseph A. ed., Who's who in Australia 1950 (Melbourne: Colorgravure Publications, 1950). Page 426. Details
Journal Articles
- Anon, 'Kernot medals [1962 Allan W, Knight and 1963 Ronald B. Lewis]', The Chartered Engineer Victoria, 9 (11) (1965), 7. Details
Ken McInnes
Created: 4 February 2026