Walter Cawthorn

Major General Sir Walter Joseph Cawthorn (11 June 1896 – 4 December 1970), better known as Bill Cawthorn, also known as W. J. Cawthorn and Wally Cawthorn, was an Australian teacher, diplomat, and a senior officer in the British Indian Army. He is considered Australia's greatest spymaster. Recommended by his friend Richard G. Casey, then Governor of Bengal, Cawthorn was sent to Melbourne in 1946 as an Indian representative on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Australia.

After the Partition of British India, Cawthorn was seconded to the Pakistan Army, where he played a key role in founding the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). He was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff of the Pakistan Army from February 1948 to February 1951.

He returned to Australia in 1952 and served as Director Joint Intelligence Bureau (Australia) until 1954. Richard Casey, now Australian Minister for External Affairs, sought 'a better outlet for Cawthorn's talents' and selected him for a five-year posting as Australian High Commissioner to Pakistan. During this time, Cawthorn forged strong ties with local political and military leaders. Governor-General Iskandar Ali Mirza once told Casey, 'We have no secrets from Bill Cawthorn.' Casey visited Karachi in 1956 and noted that due to Cawthorn's rapport with 'top Pakistanis, we are much better informed than the much larger diplomatic posts.'

On the night of 27 October 1958, Ayub Khan informed foreign officials, including Cawthorn and U.S. Ambassador James M. Langley, of his military coup against President Iskandar Ali Mirza and his takeover as president. Both reacted sharply to the news, as Cawthorn was a close friend of Iskandar and expressed concerns about his safety.

In March 1959, he was appointed High Commissioner of Australia to Canada and, in September 1960, he returned to take the helm of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS). His tenure was characterized as 'a period of consolidation and development,' during which he served until his retirement on 3 July 1968.