Vale Major General Andrew (Jim) James Molan, AO, DSC

11 April 1950 – 16 January 2023

Retired Major General and Liberal Senator, Jim Molan, has died aged 72, after a battle with cancer.

He died peacefully in the arms of his family.

The 72-year-old was elected as a federal senator for NSW in 2019.

His family said he had suffered a “sudden and rapid” decline after Christmas before dying peacefully on Monday, surrounded by his family.

He was many things: a soldier, a pilot, an author, a volunteer firefighter and a senator.

Most of all, he was an adored husband, father, grandfather and brother.

During his military career, Molan was commanding officer of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, commander of the 1st Brigade, commander of the 1st Division and its Deployable Joint Force Headquarters, and commander of the Australian Defence College. In April 2004, he deployed for a year to Iraq to serve as Chief of Operations for the new Headquarters Multinational Force in Iraq.

He has been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, as well as the Legion of Merit by the U.S. government. He retired from the Australian Army in 2008, and later that year released his first book, Running the War in Iraq.

Funeral details will be posted when known.