The Quiet Strength of Sir Weary Dunlop

A note to young leaders.

If you’re looking for a truly remarkable leader, look no further than to our very own Sir Edward “Weary” Dunlop (1907–1993).

“Weary” – a nickname given to him in childhood and likely a nod to Dunlop tyres – proved supremely ironic. Because Weary was anything but.

As a wartime surgeon on the gruesome Burma–Thailand Railway, he was tireless in his care for fellow Australian POW’s. He operated with makeshift tools in suffocating jungle heat, mending broken bodies and lending strength to broken spirits.

When asked to reflect on his leadership, he said simply: “I never led men from the front. I stood beside them.” And when asked what you can give to men dying of starvation and dysentery, he replied: “Even when you have nothing, you can still give your courage.”

Greater still is what Weary did after the war – long after the uniforms were folded and the medals put away.

Having returned to his private practice in Melbourne, Weary continued to perform operations on former Australian POW’s without charging them a penny. “They’ve paid enough,” he would say.

And he did that for decades. No headlines. No press releases. Only quiet, unyielding loyalty.

Just take a look at his eyes in the photo below – they seep with kindness.

As Anzac Day approaches, let’s tip our hats to one of our finest – a soldier whose legend was forged not in lofty command, but in the peerless constancy of his courage and compassion.