Marist Brothers High School Darlinghurst
Blue & Blue
Christmas extra 2014
eMail:
darlo@6mins.com
Gentlemen,
Welcome to the Christmas
extra edition of the Blue
& Blue.
The
November luncheon was celebrated in fine form with special guest Ronda
Boyd, brother of Norm Timbrell who attended Darlo. Ronda was
responsible for the compilation of the WW2 Memorial Boards which now
hang proudly in Marist College Canberra. As usual, the luncheon was
preceded by Mass at St. Patrick’s Church. This time, however, we had a
rare privilege of Fr. John Anderson [LC’63] celebrating Mass.
Fr. John was visiting from Iquitos, Peru, located on the banks of
the Amazon, where his parish resides. Fr. John included assistance to
disadvantaged children in his dedications of the Mass, which add to the
support for those children mentioned in the Christmas Day Blue & Blue.
The statement of rights of children, by children, “The
Children’s Manifesto”, received the support of Mass dedicated to it
last year by Fr. John Doherty [LC’63] and by recently ordained
Fr.Paul Nulley [Marist College Canberra], which has seen the voices of
children reciting it, grow in number from three to nine languages. Class
of 1963 was a good year for the priesthood with students from Darlo, as
we had three priests ordained: Fr. John Doherty, Fr. John
Anderson and Fr. Guy Hartcher.
Br
Oswin McKinney’s dream to see Marscom
Television grow into a medium for assisting the disadvantaged came
to fruition this year, 25 years after he founded it. The production
surrounding the Children’s Manifesto will see greater assistance to the
Kuya Center, in the
Philippines and too, many other institutions assisting disadvantaged
children globally such as Huan Mbrillo and
Sisters of Las Amandos de Ninho Pobre
in Iquitos, Peru. Your
support for the initiatives is greatly appreciated.
The students of Uni of Sydney, Uni NSW and Uni of New York, who have
made a tremendous contribution to the media project, also included a
statement regarding their own generation,
Gen3M, about the events of
December 15, 2014 apart from
noting their dedication to assisting the school girls kidnapped in
Nigeria.
The luncheon saw Tony Smith [LC’64] and John Barclay [LC’64]
join the Board of the OBU, so with Br. Paul Murphy, Bill
Halcro [LC’49], who has done an exemplary job as Secretary-Treasurer
and Tony Morrissey [HSC’65] who is a current Secretary and
ex-President of Rostrum, we have a formidable team representing us.
Lost & Found
While the Class of 1949 is still in the scope, our Lost & Found section
of the B&B has again brought fruition thanks to Ronda and Arthur Boyd.
Greg Bell [LC’49], classmate of Bill Halcro, has been located.
The Memorial Boards of WW2, as compiled by Ronda Boyd and mentioned
earlier, are to be augmented with Memorial Boards from wars in Korea and
Vietnam. Ex-president of the OBU, Kyran O’Donnell [LC’52] writes
to advise that “an old friend (dating back to living in the same Maroubra
street and starting with the nuns) was Major Adrian Nesbitt (LC 1954).
He did two tours of Vietnam, dying from a result of his time there”.
Vince Churchill [LC’59] was working for Consolidated Plastics
until about 18 months ago and retired. His email was care of his
workplace, which has no further address for him. If anybody has any
point of contact for Vince, please advise us.
Darlo’s historian, Scott Coleman
[Marist College Canberra] advises that he has been
compiling a detailed 'Roll
of Honour' of Old Boys from Darlinghurst and St Marys Cathedral who
served their country in The Great War. To be completed in time to mark
the ANZAC Centenary in 1915, the Roll will give detailed information as
to the lives and service of over 250 men from the Marist Brothers'
School who answered the call to serve their King and Country.
They came from all walks of life, and included storemen, butchers, a
jeweller, clerks, plumbers, barristers, a timekeeper, farmers, bookies,
jackaroos, surveyors and students, aged from 17 to 42. The numbers of
gallantry decorations awarded to Darlo Old Boys attests to their heroism
and courage; 12 Military Crosses, 6 Military Medals, 1 Companion of the
Distinguished Service Order, 1 Distinguished Conduct Medal and numerous
Mentioned in Despatches.
Forty Old Boys of Darlinghurst paid the
ultimate sacrifice in the cause of freedom, and entire Marist families
were devastated. The Gilchrist brothers, Walter and Albert, are just one
example; Walter, a gallant Captain awarded the Military Cross for
gallantry, and his older brother Albert, a good man in the prime of
life. Walter, who had served at Gallipoli and in Egypt, Belgium and
France, was killed in battle at Pozieres in 1917 and has no known grave:
a posthumous portrait painting in the Australian War Memorial serves as
an ethereal reminder of his service. His brother, Albert Gilchrist, who
had risen swiftly in rank from Private to 2nd Lieutenant, was shot and
killed two months before the cessation of hostilities in 1918, and he
lies at the New British Cemetery at Assevillers. It is hard to imagine
what an impact the death of both her sons had on their widowed mother.
I hope that by compiling this information the Marist Boys of today
and tomorrow will better understand the rich heritage of service and
sacrifice that their great College is built upon.” Our sincere thanks go
to Scott for his
contributions.
Bill Duncan [LC’64] writes to advise that he is “following
up with a research project into one of the Marist Brothers' very first
Australian students, an old soldier who lead the famous Gilgandra
"Coo-ee" recruiting March of late 1915. ( I continue to be involved in
the planning and organisation of those WW1 commemorative events with
some old army buddies, the RSL and emergency services and so will be
back and forth to Canberra and many other places around the State in the
next twelve months.)
Inabilities regarding the luncheon were received from Br Paul Murphy,
who is still recovering from hip replacement surgery but will soon be
able hula dance with the best shortly;
John Pass [LC’54]
who must have written with a smile that only surgery could remove after
advising, “I tender my apologies for the next luncheon but I will be on
the high seas between Barcelona and Miami. I wish all a happy lunch and
the blessings of Christmas.”
Karam Ramrakha [LC’50]
who was in Fiji recently revisiting MDHS Flagstaff, now manned by lay
teachers and “regrettably
the once proud multi-racial school which was Number One in Fiji in my
time 1944 et set .. I was there in 1947.48 and 49; it would now have
difficulty in ranking as 200th in Fiji !!!No Marist Brothers .. and
worse still for some unknown reason, the students and teachers were all
indigenous.” But Karam, ahhhhh, the blessed benefits of returning to the
paradise of Fiji.
Rob Rimoldi [LC’50]
writes in concern of recent advices, “I
currently work for Catholic Care as a Foster Carer and I am a practising
Catholic. I find it difficult to understand how members can remain
members when they cannot fulfil their religious obligations at the OBU
and indicate they are not even Catholics.” Voicing your concerns has
been most appreciated, Rob.
Bernie York [LC’64] wrote from hospital during a bout with pneumonia, “be assured
that you have my full support and admiration for your efforts with MBHSD
. I hope that you are not too discouraged as a result of the negative
correspondence that's been circulating , you're never going to please
everybody .... So , in the words of the motto "Servo Fidem". Don't let
the turkeys get you down....”
Thanks B.Y. from all at the OBU.
Larry Hensby [LC’48’]
unable to attend due to a family bereavement writes, “When one considers
that the OBU exists to promote a social activity that allows old school
mates to get together for a Mass, a meal, a few drinks and a chat, it’s
a pity that acrimony raises its head. I guess “you can’t please
everybody”. Too true, Larry. Again, our ongoing condolences.
Jay Robertson [LC’59]
advises that he “will be attending the annual Australian National
Maritime Museum luncheon, to receive my Ten Year Service Award”.
Congrats, Jay. Well done!
Kyran O’Donnell [LC’48]
sends his inability advice and best wishes with “Hope that attendance is good and not affected by the
latest nonsense”. Well said, Kyran.
Gary Goodman [MCC]
sagaciously advises, “Unfortunately, I have another engagement – my
wife’s birthday and a dinner that night.“ A wise decision, Gary. Hell
hath no fury like …
Conveying apologies are also
Br. Norman Hart, Br. Joseph McCabe (Bonaventure), Prof.
Des O’Connor [LC’44], Kevin Riolo [LC’54], Bill Barry
[LC’55], Philip Hogan [LC’60], Guy Hartcher [LC’63]and
Frank O’Connor [LC’48]. Thank you, gentlemen.
In Memoriam:
Vale
Linton Griffin [LC’63]
8-12-2014 After a long illness, “Fred” to his friends, passed on. His
funeral at Castle Hill was attended by old classmates who later
comforted Margaret, Linton’s widow at the family home in Baulkham Hills.
Vale
Edmund John Blinkhorn (known as John)
[LC’40]
13-03-2014 who is survived by his wife of 44 years, Norma. John rests in
peace at St. Patrick’s Church, Sutton Forrest, NSW.
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Beyond Blue continues to provide support for anxiety and depression,
providing resources for recovery, management and resilience.
www.beyondblue.org.au
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Sport:
Jay Robertson will be teeing off with John Bolster [LC’50] and Tony
Smith [LC’64] and a date to be arranged in the new year to discuss the
next round of the Chippendale Cup Golf event. Golfers, please contact
Jay towards the end of January for more info.
Servo fidem,
Humour:
On behalf of all at the OBU,
Happy New Year !!!!!!!!!!
Servo fidem,
Kym Derriman
Gatekeeper
Marist Brothers Darlinghurst Old Boys’ Union
eMail:
darlo@6mins.com
*LC Year refers to those who sat the LC or HSC in that year and also to their classmates who left school in earlier years.
President, OBU
Kym Derriman
9311 3344
Vice President
Tony Morrissey
9311 4598
Secretary/Treasurer
Bill Halcro
9661 7710
Marist Executive
Br. Paul Murphy
0449 640540
Tony Smith
Board Member
John Barclay
Board Member
Sports Portfolio
Jay Robertson
All mail to:
The Secretary,
MBHSD_OBU
20 Paterson St
Matraville 2036
eMail:
Old Boys' Union