Old School Ties 1995 Vol 1 No 4

Profiles in the order of their photo on the cover, left to right.

Ian Clarendon Whittle

President · BGS 1963–1967

General Manager Leasing, Bank of Queensland; played Rugby, Athletics, Swimming, Cricket; Boarder and Prefect; son Samuel at BGS (third generation).

Aim: "to increase the relevance of the Old Boys' Association to the BGS Community."

Stuart Thomas Bale

Senior Vice-President & School Representative · BGS 1955–1958

Solicitor; Rowing (3rd IV 1964, member Kings Cup team), Rugby; son Andrew (Senior 1989, LLB QUT 1995).

Aim: "to foster closer ties between the School and the OBA."

Maxwell Frank Talbot

Junior Vice-President · BGS 1962–1965

Pharmaceutical Chemist/Grazier; Rugby, Cricket, Gymnastics, Rowing, Chess; active in the Music Department; son William in Third Form.

Aim: "assist with the continuing development of sporting facilities for all students."

Roger Ernest Cater

Secretary · BGS 1960–1961

Industrial Chemist / Manager of a private technical college; Rowing (6th IV); son Cosmo (Senior 1995, Arts/Law UQ — second generation).

Aim: "assist with arrangements for the 1998 Centenary of the Association."

Ross Andrew Duus

Treasurer · BGS 1958–1961

Chartered Accountant; Rugby (1st/2nd XV), Cricket; Cadet Corps; son Matthew at BGS (third generation).

Aim: "maintaining funds of the OBA; encouraging regular reunions; fostering a closer relationship between the OBA and the School Community."

"1995 was declared 'The Year that Australia Remembers.'"

The story of Flight Sergeant M. A. G. "Bob" Howsan, RAAF — a Brisbane Grammar Old Boy — and his international crew. At 04:00 on 2 April 1942, returning from a sortie that had bombed the Ford factory at Poissy, their RCAF Wellington bomber (Vancouver Squadron, No 405) was hit by German anti-aircraft fire over the French village of Marly. A fire broke out; one crewman ejected to safety, the other five — including Howsan — died in the crash. Howsan controlled the crash-landing of the bomber (the Tapis Vert, "Green Carpet") into Marly Park, away from the village itself. As Marly's Deputy Mayor Patrick Gautier said in 1993: "There is no doubt that these young men did everything they could right up to the last moment, to avoid falling on the village." Their resting place became the local cemetery at Les Gonards, Versailles. In October/November 1993 the town authorities of Marly began moves to establish a Memorial to the fallen airmen; the memorial plaque names M. A. G. Howsan (RAAF), M. C. Howe (RCAF), R. O. J. Page (RCAF), W. P. Ashun (RAF), J. G. MacKinnon (RAF) and the sole survivor L. G. Burgoyne (RCAF). His younger brother Abe contacted the Editorial Offices with the story.

Written by Ian Whittle (63), President

A departure from the usual format: the June "Old Boy's Tie" recognises Mrs Ross, the beloved "City Mum" to generations of Grammar boarders. She first met her husband — a senior School Master — in 1929, beginning an association with the School that continued for decades. The tribute recalls boys who "devoured the entire contents of Mrs Ross's [pantry]," and her long friendship with the Ross family and figures such as "Sarge" Vincent (a former President of the OBA).

On 7 June the Art Committee arranged a function to mark the Headmaster's portrait. (The issue also reproduced the 1959 First XV photograph supplied by Geoff Beames in the previous edition.)

• Old Boys at ADFA — Lachlan Burg (89) (entered BGS in Third Form from Sydney; won a Scholarship to ADFA; Arts degree end-1995; then Officer Training at RMC Duntroon), Steven Chappell (BA, ADFA, end-1995, then WA) and Michael List (88) (third year at ADFA). Lachlan pictured with Sir James Killen (40). (Thanks to Adolfs Lacis (57) for the snippet.)
• Among Old Boys recalled at a reunion: novelist and Canberra Times executive Rob Macklin; former Ansett figure and ex-Ansett "guru" Geoff Beames (56); Bill Edwards (retired) and Peter Wilson; BHP "supremo" Gary Hughes.
• Jack Vallance (32) recounted a 1933 schooldays memory of Stuart Stephenson.
• Sergeant Gary Wilkinson (64), President [of a body]; a former BGS figure now Headmaster of The Southport School; an Old Boy awarded a three-year Scholarship at UQ (University Medal in Mechanical Engineering).
• Simon Jenner (87) — President of [a body].
• Warwick Newland (58) — pursuing a collection with much success.
• A note on former BGS Old Boys' President John [—].

Feature obituary — Judge Reginald Carter (22)

Judge Reginald Carter (22) — b. April 1908, entered BGS 1922; awarded the Lilley Gold Medal and the Cockle Prize for Mathematics (1926); graduated UQ 1930; admitted to the Bar June 1931 (the first person to [—]). Commissioned a Captain in the Army Legal Department (1940); private practice from 1944; appointed Crown Prosecutor for the Southern and Central Districts (1953); approached in 1955 by Butterworths to write a book on criminal law in Queensland (his "famous work"). Sworn in to the new District Court bench on 11 February 1960. (Pictured with Graham Duus (55) and the Judge's famous work.)

Deaths

• Dr E. F. H. Thiele (1920) — d. 12 April 1996.
• Rev. Fr. Ralph Gratnell Mitchell, MBE (1923) — d. 13 April 1996.
• Leo [—] — commissioned a Captain in the Army Legal Department (1940); private practice from 1944; consultant from 1982 to the firm of John C. Walker (52) & Noble; active in the Lions Club, Mooloolaba and Mermaid Beach Surf Life Saving Clubs and Eastern Districts Cricket Club; a recognised Freemason.

Andrew Solomon (83) to Catherine Schloss; Patrick McMaster (79) to Junko Hara; Rohan Lawrence (82) to Fiona Turner; Cameron Tilley (82) to Megan Simmonds; Craig Balthes (85) to Kylie-Anne Fletcher; Griffith Davies (79) to Maree Sullivan; Ian Taylor (72) to Gillian Barlow; Bradley Voltz (80) to Joanne Meyer; David Aubrey (79) to Lisa Iggo; Elia Lytras (81) to Kristine Lynn; Anthony Cribb (82) to Liesl Quince; Richard Watson (81) to Kathryn Walsh.

• Colin Lamont (56) wrote warmly of Ollie Bell and the wider staff he represented, recalling names like Harry Alsop, "Soapy" Allen, "Stonk" Smith, Paddy Wilsteed, Ben Neil, "Dopey" Daniels, Hal Gehrmann, Don "Deadhead" Edwards, John Minter, "Hicky", "Smiler" Percy and "Shorty" Newell — and Ollie leading the staff-room race to the loo on the morning of the 'Cascara Cup'. "The knowledge that one has touched so many lives in a meaningful and remembered way has to be one of the greatest rewards of [teaching]."
• Barry Beaman (54) also wrote enjoying the Ollie Bell feature, recalling being at Grammar in 1934/35.

• Membership: rising to $40 p.a.
• Advertisers (Old Boy connections): Morgan Stockbroking (Tim Crommelin '65 MD; Geoff Voller '66; Bob Hunter '66; Jeff Kumnick '80; Andrew Horsbrugh '85; John O'Neill '90); Early Group Valuers (Cameron A. Early); Purvis Duncan Law (Ross McLeod).