MS 3079 comprises letters from Gullett to his parents Sir Henry and Lady Penelope Gullett, written from the Geelong Church of England Grammar School, Oriel College, Oxford, and North Africa, Greece and New Guinea during the Second World War. There are letters from "Jo" to his sisters Dorothy and Sue, and several from Jo's parents. Other letters deal with Gullett's scholastic, academic, journalistic, martial, political and personal affairs, including correspondence with the Civil Aviation Department, and letters and telegrams of congratulations on his award of the Military Cross in 1943. There are also letters from sponsors in the Henty Federal electorate. Personal and military documents, such as his World War II Press Pass, his Certificate of Service, school report, notes for speeches and details of Lady Headley's estate are also included (1 box).
Journalist, Army officer, politician and ambassador. Henry Baynton Somer (Jo) Gullett was the son of Cabinet minister Sir Henry Somer Gullett. Jo Gullett was born in London in 1914 and educated at Geelong Grammar, the Sorbonne and Oxford University. He then worked as a journalist for the Melbourne Herald. After the outbreak of the Second World War, Gullett enlisted in the AIF, rising to the rank of major, and was awarded the Military Cross. He was elected to Federal Parliament in 1946 and held the Victorian seat of Henty until 1955. He was Chief Government Whip from 1950-1955 when he retired from Parliament. Following a decade on his property at Tharwa in the Australian Capital Territory, Gullett was appointed Australian ambassador to Greece, 1965-1968. In 1994 he was created a Member of the Order of Australia (AM). Gullett died in 1999.
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