OBITUARY

Harry Wragge died on 31/07/2023.

Harry Stewart Wragge AM FTSE was elected to the Academy in 1987 for his service to telecommunications.

Harry was the Director of the Telecom (later Telstra) Research Laboratories (TRL). He led the transition from analogue switchboards to computer-controlled circuits in the 80s and 90s.

During Secondary schooling at Scotch College in Melbourne, Harry lost sight in his left eye due to an explosion in a Chemistry class. He was absent from school for some time; however, he was successful in Mathematics and Engineering, working his way to a PMG scholarship.

He was made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1989 for his services to telecommunications technology and research in Australian Universities. He played key roles in supporting Telecommunications at the University of Adelaide, the University of Melbourne, and Curtin University.

Harry was a member of the Frankston Yacht Club with an annual Open Harry Wragge Trophy Handicap race named in his honour. He was inducted into the City of Frankston’s Hall of Fame as a local hero.

Harry retired from Telstra at the age of 63. He was a loving father to daughters Sue, Jennie and Kate, and husband of Shirley. 

Harry S. Wragge has had a distinguished career in Telecom and the PMG's
Department. He is very well qualified academically and spent 24 years in
the Telecom Research Laboratories, where he has led several teams at the
forefront of communication technology. His- most notable achievement was
the development of an experimental digital telephone exchange, which was in the vanguard of world development. He has presented four papers on this topic to international symposia. He has represented Australia for
12 years in related work at the International Telecommunications Union.
More recently, he participated as the technical expert in the preparation of Telecom's response to the Davidson Inquiry; since then, he has been
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occupied in the development of corporate technological strategy.