Jock Marshall

Who was Jock Marshall?

Alan John "Jock" Marshall was an Australian writer, academic and ornithologist.

Marshall was born in Redfern, New South Wales. Despite having lost an arm in a shooting accident at the age of sixteen, he was active in several natural history expeditions, and had a distinguished service record during World War II in New Guinea, 1941-1945. He was Reader in zoology and comparative anatomy at St Bartholomew's Medical College, University of London, 1949–1960, and foundation professor of zoology and comparative physiology, then Dean of Science, at Monash University 1960-1967. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union in 1958.

He will be remembered by older generations of ABC radio listeners as "Jock the Backyard Naturalist", a regular on the Argonauts Club until 1946.

Marshall died in Heidelberg, Victoria. During his lifetime, he published numerous books and scientific papers.