Victor Windeyer Major General Sir William John Victor Windeyer KBE CB DSO and Bar PC KC ( 28 July 190023 November 1987 ) Australian judge , soldier and educator , was a Justice of the High Court of Australia . Early life and career . Windeyer was born in Sydney , into a legal family : his father , William Archibald Windeyer , was a Sydney solicitor , his uncle , Richard Windeyer , was a King ' s Counsel , his grandfather , William Charles Windeyer , was twice Attorney - General of New South Wales and Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales , and his great - grandfather , Sir Richard Windeyer , was a barrister and member of the first elected Parliament of New South Wales , sitting in the New South Wales Legislative Council . Windeyer studied at Sydney Grammar School and later at the University of Sydney , from where he graduated with a Master of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws in 1922 . He also won the university ' s Medal in History . In 1925 , Windeyer was admitted to the New South Wales Bar Association . From 1929 to 1940 , he lectured at the University of Sydney , teaching equity and commercial law , and until 1936 , legal history . His book " Essays in Legal History " published in 1938 was for many years a standard textbook on the subject . He married Margaret and they had four children Margaret , Bill , Jim and Frank . In 1938 he built a home called Peroomba in Warrawee which only passed out of family ownership in 2008 . Military career . Windeyer ' s military career began in 1918 , although he did not see active service during World War I . In 1922 he was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Militia and attached to the Sydney University Scouts , being promoted to the rank of captain two years later . In 1929 he was promoted to major and in 1937 , upon being promoted to lieutenant colonel he took command of the Sydney University Regiment . In 1940 , following the outbreak of World War II , Windeyer volunteered for overseas service and joined the Second Australian Imperial Force ( 2nd AIF ) . Holding the rank of lieutenant colonel , he was tasked with raising and commanding the 2 / 48th Australian Infantry Battalion , part of the Australian 9th Division . The 9th Division fought in the North African Campaign , including the Siege of Tobruk , the New Guinea Campaign and the Borneo Campaign . He was later promoted to brigadier , and commanded the 20th Australian Infantry Brigade , during which time he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order . Following the war , Windeyer was discharged from the 2nd AIF in early 1946 , and returned to the Citizens Military Force , which was re - raised in 1948 . In 1944 he had been created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire , From 1950 to 1952 he commanded the Australian 2nd Division after being promoted to major general . He was appointed as Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1953 for his military services . Justice of the High Court and Privy Council . After returning to Australia , Windeyer continued to practise as a barrister . He was also Deputy - Chancellor of the university from 1955 to 1958 . In 1949 he was made a King ' s Counsel . He was appointed to the bench of the High Court on 8 September 1958 . Later that year he was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( KBE ) . One of his first judgments on the court was when he joined in the unanimous judgement of the court in a constitutional case " Browns Transport Pty Ltd v Kropp " which considered whether the imposition of licensing fees under a state statute in relation to a licence for the carriage of goods amounts to the imposition of a duty of excise within the meaning of s . 90 of the Constitution , which denies to the States the power to impose such duties . One of his first separate judgements was " Commonwealth v Butler " . He made a considerable contribution to the jurisprudence of the court in " Victoria v . Commonwealth " the " Payroll Tax case " in his interpretation of the meaning of the " Engineers Case " . He sat on the bench of the High Court until his retirement on 29 February 1972 . He was elevated to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in 1963 . Later life and death . On their acquisition of the 6th , 7th , 8th & 9th Floors of Mena House at 225 Macquarie Street , Sydney Chambers by Counsel ' s Chambers Limited in 1983 the new chambers were named Windeyer Chambers in his honour . He opened the new chambers on 15 June 1984 . Windeyer died in 1987 . One of his sons , William Victor Windeyer , followed him into the legal profession and is an Acting Judge of the Supreme Court of New South Wales ; he also served in the military receiving the Reserve Force Decoration .