Lieutenant Colonel Christopher J. Holcroft OAM RFD JP (Ret'd) was born in Cooma, New South Wales during Australia's largest ever building project, the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. He was born to Allan and Shirley Holcroft along with his brothers Mark and Peter and his sisters Liane and Nerida.

Holcroft started school at St Joseph's Primary Schoool, Riverwood, from classes Kindergarten to Year Three. He then moved to De La Salle College, Kingsgrove for Years Four to Seven. De La Salle closed its doors as a boys school in 1999 and later re-opened as the girls only school St Ursula's College. Holcroft transferred to Peakhurst High School in Sydney's south in 1965 in Year Seven and graduated from Year 12 in 1970. The school is now part of the Georges River College. He started work two weeks later at Sydney's The Sun newspaper as a copyboy. Within a year he began his formal cadetship as a Journalist and completed his training in 1974 when he became graded. Christopher worked for and contributed to a series of newspaper mastheads for more than 20 years including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Australian and a string of suburban papers, lastly, editing The District Reporter in Camden, New South Wales.

He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications, majoring in Journalism and Communication Technology at the University of Technology, Sydney, later completing his Master's degree in Organisational Communications at Charles Sturt University. Holcroft followed his grandfather, New Zealand author M. H. Holcroft, into a career in journalism and writing. He also followed his uncle, New Zealand author Anthony Holcroft, in writing children's and adult books.

He is also a Justice of the Peace.

Military

In 1974 Holcroft joined the Australian Army as a part-time soldier in the Army Reserve as an Infantryman, rising to the rank of Temporary Sergeant. He was commissioned as a Lieutenant in 1982 into the Australian Army's PR Corps, the Australian Army Public Relations Service, and rose through the ranks to become the Corps's first Reserve Lieutenant Colonel in 1999. He also became his Corps' only Reserve Head Of Corps. Holcroft graduated from the Australian Army's Reserve Command and Staff College as a Captain in 1987 and a Major in 1992. He saw active service in East Timor in 2000 as part of the United Nations Transitional Administration East Timor (UNTAET) and was posted in Iraq in 2006 as part of the Australian Army's Operation Catalyst based in Baghdad.

Scouts

Since 1968 Holcroft has been a member of Scouts Australia as a "Senior Scout", Assistant Venturer Leader and Venturer Leader in charge of youths aged 14 to 18.

During his time as a Senior Scout and Venturer, he gained his Queen's Scout Award and the Silver Duke of Edinburgh Award.

When he became a youth leader, he gained his Wood Badge and was awarded the Silver Wattle Award for meritorious service in 2008 and the Silver Koala Award for distinguished service in 2016.

In 2023 Christopher was presented with his Silver Emu Award for further distinguished service.

In December 2024 Christopher was awarded his 40-year Long Service Award and Certificate.

In 1983 Christopher was responsible for helping to bring one of Audstralia's largest annual four day camps for Venturer Scouts called Dragon Skin, to life. Dragon Skin comprises around 1100 Venturers, Senior Girl Guides, Army Cadets, and school students competing in the fiorests in NSW over the Easter long weekend in  April.

 Honours and Awards

Military

  Australian Active Service Medal with East Timor and Iraq clasps - 2001, 2006

  Iraq Medal (Australia) 2006

  Reserve Forces Decoration with three rosettes - 1997

  Australian Defence Medal - 2006

Additional awards

   Australian Chief of Defence Force Unit Commendation (1st Joint Public Affairs Unit) - 2005

Scouts Australia

Youth awards:

  Queens Scout award - 1971

 Duke of Edinburgh award  - 1971

Adult awards:

Wood Badge  - 1983

  Silver Wattle award for outstanding service - 2008

 Silver Koala award for distinguished service  - 2016

Silver Emu award for further distinguished service to Scouts Australia by an Adult Member in an active Leadership role for a period of at least four or five years since the Award of the Silver Koala - 2023.

Scouts Australia's 40-year Long Service Award Certificate - December 2024.

South Metropolitan Region Commissioner Bryan Davison presenting Christopher J. Holcroft OAM RFD JP, with his Silver Koala Award.

 NSW Chief Commissioner Llord Nurthen, left and outgoing South Metropolitan Region Commissioner Bryan Davison, right, poised ready to present Christopher J. Holcroft OAM RFD JP with his Silver Emu Award.

Medal To The Order of Australia (OAM) - 2023 Australia Day Honours and Awards

For details go to P82 at: https://www.gg.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-01/20230126%20-%20Media%20notes%20-%20OAM%20(F-L).pdf

NSW Governor Her Excellency, the Honourable Margaret Beazley AC, KC presents Lieutenant Colonel Christopher J. Holcroft OAM RFD JP (Retd) with his Medal to the Order of Australia (OAM) at NSW Government House on 2nd May, 2023.

Cadets

In 2019 Christopher Holcroft became a Defence Approved Helper with the Australian Army Cadets with the then Camden-based 218 Army Cadet Unit. He later transferred to the 22/29 Army Cadet Unit at Holsworthy in NSW. In March 2021 Holcroft was promoted Captain (AAC) and posted to the Headquarters NSW Australian Army Cadets Brigade as its Public Affairs Officer. 

In October 2021, Christopher left the Australian Army Cadets and joined the Australian Navy Cadets as a Commander with the national position of Director of Communications and Media. 

In July 2024, Christopher completed his service with the Australian Navy Cadets on 12th July 2024 at a major parade of Cadets from the Waratah Flotilla, at Holsworthy Barracks, in Southwest Sydney. He was presented with a special 'Certificate of Service' denoting him completing more than 48 years service to the Australian Defence Force.

                                                                             Commander Christopher Holcroft OAM RFD JP ANC explains how to deal with the Media to a Navy Cadet.    

Books

In 2008 Australia celebrated its Centenary of Scouting, and Holcroft wrote the first two novels in the Scott Morrow adventure trilogy to mark the occasion: Only The Brave Dare and Canyon. In 2010 Holcroft completed the trilogy with A Rite of Passage  . In 2026 Holcroft completed a sequel to his first book, Saluting The Brave. All four books follow the adventures of a group of Venturers and a teenager who never wanted to be a hero but whom his country needed.

In 2011 he published the first book in his Afterlife series, Finding Thomas. He explores what happens after someone dies in novel form using a teenage central character called Kit Green, in a focus on near death experiences.

The second book in Holcroft's Afterlife series is One Last Concert. It was published in April 2013 and Holcroft explores how to move on the spirits of people who have died suddenly and are trapped on Earth.

In 2018 Holcroft published his third book in his Afterlife series called Time Voyager.  The book explores past life regression and how sometimes people must re-visit a former life to solve issues today.

The books are sold in the USA, UK, India, New Zealand, Japan and Australia by major bookstores including Amazon, Angus and Robertson, Dymocks, Fishpond and Booktopia. All books can also be bought through my publisher, Dr Zed Publishing in South Australia via: https://www.doctorzed.com/book-authors/christopher-j-holcroft/  

Also, the books can be bought directly from the author via his website at: http://www.christopherholcroft.net

Influences

Personal life

Holcroft lives in Hammondville, New South Wales, Australia with his wife, Yvonne.

Family Connections

Writing is in Christopher's blood.

 Christopher's grandfather was Monte Harry Holcroft (left), also known as M. H. Holcroft OBE a renown New Zealand Journalist and author. Monte was born on 14th May 1902 in Rangiora where his father Harry Cooper Holcroft, a salesman, operated a grocery shop. His mother, Harriet Emily Soanes, came from a large well-established Christchurch family. He was the second of three brothers; was married three times and had three children.

Christopher's father, Allan Mark Holcroft (right), was Monte's first son, from his marriage to Eileen Allanah McLean, in Sydney, Australia in 1924. Soon after Allan was born, the marriage broke up and Monte returned to New Zealand where he married Aralia (Ray) Jaslie Seldon Dale and had two children, Anthony and Jocelyn. When this marriage failed, he later married Lorna Mildred Taylor.

Monte wrote 30 novels and is well remembered for his work as Editor of the prestigious New Zealand newspaper, The Listener, a post he held for more than 18 years. He was a founding member of New Zealand's National Commission for UNESCO. Monte died aged 91 in 1993 at Rangiora after a short illness.

Monte's second son, Anthony Holcroft, (far left), was born eight years after Christopher's father Allan, in Christchurch in 1932. He spent his childhood in Invercargill and grew up in a household devoted to reading and writing. His books lean towards fairy tales and myths rather than boys' stories. He married Julia and the couple has three children. He has written 26 books specialising in supernatural stories for children and young adults.

Christopher visited his Uncle Anthony and Aunty Julia (left), at their Rangiora property in New Zealand. Anthony showed Christopher the orchards and flowing stream where he gained his inspiration for some of his books.

Christopher's father Allan, only met his father Monte twice in his adult life and never lived long enough to meet his only brother, Anthony.

Christopher's (right) familial claim to fame is that he was a Journalist and worked for several Sydney mastheads including The Sun, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Australian and a string of suburban newspapers. He has written six books - three of adventure for Young Adults, especially boys, as an encouragement for them to read and engage with the outdoors. Also, three for adults, dealing with the afterlife and near death experiences.

Christopher was awarded the Medal to the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2023 Australian Honours and Awards for his work with Youth and the Community.

Conclusion

He is currently writing a fourth book in his Scott Morrow adventure series and this is due out in 2026.