Former Australian of the Year Peter Cosgrove to be named Governor-General next week Former Defence Force Chief Peter Cosgrove calls on Australians to show their support for our Diggers on Anzac Day. THE Abbott Government will next week announce that retired defence chief General Peter Cosgrove will be appointed Australia's 26th Governor-general. It is understood the announcement will be made on Monday the day after Australia Day. The 2001 Australian of the Year is a popular choice with conservatives and he was well known as John Howard's favourite military man. His appointment will be seen as timely as the nation marks the centenary of World War 1 and the birth of the Anzac legend. Queen Elizabeth ll is accompanied by General (retired) Peter Cosgrove, Chairman of the Australian War Memorial Board, as she walks the cloisters at the War Memorial in Canberra. The Howard Government fast tracked his promotion first to Lieutenant General and Chief of Army and then to full General and Defence Chief just two years later, following the success of the 1999 Interfet operation in East Timor that was led by then Major General Cosgrove. An avowed monarchist General Cosgrove had a distinguished military career after he graduated from the Royal Military College Duntroon where he was regarded as one of the toughest cadets. He was awarded the Military Cross as a Platoon Commander with the 9th Battalion in Vietnam in 1971. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visits the Australian War Memorial, Canberra accompanied by Chairman of The War Memorial Board, retired General, Peter Cosgrove. His five-year appointment to the plum $400,000-a-year job that comes with two mansions, a fleet of cars and VIP jets, will take effect in March when he and his wife Lynne will move into Government House "Yarralumla" in Canberra. They will also have Australia's best weekender, Admiralty House on Sydney Harbour, at their disposal. Retired General Peter Cosgrove and Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC. General Cosgrove will replace the nation's first ever female GG Quentin Bryce. The Sydney-born Waverley College educated ex-soldier will be forced to resign from the board of Qantas and several other board positions when he is sworn in to the vice-regal job by the Queen. He was council chairman and escorted the monarch at the Australian War Memorial during her last visit to Australia in 2011. The general did not return calls yesterday.