George Alan Vasey - Between The Wars

Between The Wars

Vasey returned to the PMF, in which he held the substantive rank of Lieutenant and the honorary rank of Major. He became so discouraged at his prospects with the Army that, studying at night, he qualified as an accountant. He married Jessie Mary Halbert at St Matthew's Church of England, Glenroy, Victoria on 17 May 1921. They bought a house in Kew, Victoria with a War Service Loan.

Vasey held a series of staff postings in Australia and India. From 1928 to 1929 he attended the Staff College at Quetta, India, where Bernard Montgomery was an instructor. In October 1934 he was appointed as a brigade major once more. Following a brief stint as a GSO2 on the headquarters of the 1st Indian Division, his final posting in India was again as a brigade major, from April 1936 to March 1937. By November 1934 his substantive rank was that of captain, but while he held the brevet and local rank of major, he was not promoted to the substantive rank of major until 1 March 1935. Vasey was finally promoted to brevet lieutenant colonel on 12 May 1937, after nearly 20 years as a major, although he was only promoted to the substantive rank on 2 November 1939. This was not unusual, and it fostered a sense of injustice and frustration among regular officers, who found themselves outranked by CMF officers who had enjoyed faster promotion.