Page 27 - Potted History 2017

The Cygnet, in a sober mood, reported: your crew. They depended on Burt [later Western Australian
you, their skipper, but by golly you Governor and Chief Justice] was in 1947
When the use of the atomic depended on them too. Night 10 Squadron flying Sunderlands. 1940s Rhodes Scholar: John Rigarlsford Clarke (1942)
bomb against a Japanese city was flying, moonless, a joint exercise, In two years he never met the
announced, Dr Buntine read the and you made sure you could Commanding Officer. There was
following, which is very applicable. survive each night. I think love and a long tradition – people were
It was written by Mr H.G. Wells trust helped me at Hale, as did, I above you by their heredity, not
several years ago: suppose, any leadership qualities ability, and you had to know your 1946
I had. Both in the army and more place. I found this social division
‘Invention and scientific particularly in the RAAF, I was ghastly, and developed a feeling Vernon Murphy took up his appointment
knowledge have taken our hearts called on to give leadership to of great support for the underdog. as Headmaster of the School.
and imagination by surprise. men much older than me, and you This influenced me strongly in
Our social and political ideas, knew that if you ducked for cover Singapore, where I was active in 1946
our morals, our ambitions, our and passed the buck, you had supporting an end to the British Old Boy Ross McLarty was elected
courage, have had as yet no not measured up. So I think this overlordship – and at Hale too.
corresponding expansion. Plenty characterised my life at Hale also. leader of the State Liberal Party and,
after leading the party to victory at
overwhelms us and we do not I think it is one of the reasons why
know how to distribute or use Service for others, I think, was the British media, and much else, the election at 1st April 1947, became
the wealth we can now produce. another. You were far removed dislikes Australia. It is where its Premier, Treasurer and Minister for
Housing, Forests and the North-
Power – gigantic power – has from working for your living. working class migrated to – and
come to us and we can use it only You were committed to years was successful. West. Ross was created KBE (Knight
Bachelor) by the Queen in January
in mutual injury according to the of serving your nation in some
methods of the warring past.’ organisation that helped There was one aspect of the war 1953 and held public office until 1962.
11
others. I think you’ll find the war I never embraced and that was
Dr Ken Tregonning Headmaster of the generation quite outstanding in hate. I knew I was going to bomb Tom Hoar
School between 1967 and 1988, in a the voluntary service organisations German towns, yet all I felt was Tom Hoar has left us with the follow-
retrospective letter responding to Hale it established, or strengthened by sympathy for the poor devils ing picture of the School in the 1940s:
School Year 10 Australian History student their commitment. Certainly when below. When I lived in Singapore
Lachlan Gepp’s query in 2005, wrote the I lived in Singapore the selfishness I made many Japanese friends ‘My introduction to Hale School commenced in June 1948. At this time I was a
following: of the people there was marked in and all I could feel for them was third year student at U.W.A. and a resident at St George’s College. Mr Vernon
contrast to the W.A. environment. compassion. I think at Hale I Murphy, the headmaster of the school, then situated at in Havelock Street, West
‘During the four years of my No one there would do anything worked to the saying of Paul to ‘HOME’ Perth, came to the college to talk to any young man interested in the teaching
involvement I collected a few for anybody, whereas we ex- the Corinthians: “I have been Ex-POW Keith Pescod (1930-32) profession. In particular, he wanted a person prepared to take up a position as
character guidelines. It may seem servicemen would, as a matter given authority to lift you up” – (‘All boots, ribs and Adam’s apple) an assistance resident boarding master and, hopefully, one capable of teaching
odd, but I think war taught me, of course, volunteer to help. and that I tried very hard to do. with wife Amy, Sydney, 1946. Applied Mathematics to a sub-leaving class. To my great relief I was offered the
or gave me, a definition of love. If Maybe this was characteristic of position. At the time I was attending university as a C.R.T.S. (Commonwealth
you are prepared to throw yourself Australians anyway, but I think the There are other character Re-construction Training Scheme) student. My allowance was three pounds
on an exploding bomb to save war helped shape an approach. aspects of mine that I think were five shillings per week (the college was charging three pounds ten shillings).
the life of someone, then that is developed in those years in the My father had passed away while I was in the RAAF during the war, so I had no
love. Forget physical attraction, Two years in England exposed services, but I fear I have bored financial back-up to draw on. Even with my limited mathematical prowess I could
that is superficial. Would you give me to the social divide that was you already … so let’s leave it at sense that time were perilous. And so, when Mr Murphy offered me five pounds a
your life for another? … in war you – and is I think – dividing the that. After all, we won the war, month and everything found, I jumped at the opportunity.
had to ask yourself, why am I at country. As a Sergeant pilot, not that’s the important thing.’ 12
10,000 feet in the pitch darkness, an officer, various hotels were Mr Murphy then offered to drive me to Hale to show me the school and its
ready to be killed? Love, or bloody banned to you, and in many ways facilities. He talked with great enthusiasm and assured me that it was not only
stupidity?. you were made to understand one of the great Public Schools in W.A. but also in Australia. He mentioned my
you were inferior. Near our drome accommodation as a bed-sit complete with modern furniture, with a study desk
There was another characteristic I was a big army base where we and bookcase. Whenever I hear the expression, ‘one of nature’s gentlemen’, I
think war gave me, trust. You have were welcome – but only in the immediately think of Mr Vernon Murphy.
to have complete trust in N.C.O.’s mess. Sergeant Francis
12 Ken Tregonning personal letter to Lachlan Gepp,
11 Cygnet, June 1946, pp 7-8 quoted in Edgar, From Slate to Cyberspace, pp 243-245