Scotch College

Rememberance Day at Scotch

The School Remembrance Day service was particularly moving this year. The acknowledgement of the World War Two participants, the special role that our senior boys Matt Giulieri and Edward Tudor played, the haunting bugling of Matthew Stokes and the presence of two very special guests, Mr Jim Shaw ('41) and Mr Tom Crow ('50) made the morning very significant. It also was a great learning opportunity for all current students. We were reminded of the great deeds of many Old Boys, some of whose names sadly appear on the walls of the Memorial Hall. The importance of looking forward whilst keenly respecting the past resonated with all who attended.

Jim Shaw read The Ode to the Fallen with great distinction and humility. Jim left Scotch in 1941 and joined the forces in January 1942 where he became part of the Australian Corps of Signals. He went to Brisbane in April 1942 where he was part of General MacArthur's Quarters.

In June 1942 Jim was relocated to the Allied Headquarters based at the University of Queensland at St Lucia. He was then transferred to Merauke in Dutch New Guinea (now West Irian) where he was bombed both by the Japanese and by the coconut trees, with the latter knocking him unconscious on one occasion! He arrived at Merauke weighing 13 stone and left 10 stone 2 ounces.

In April 1944 Jim was transferred to Grosvenor House near Wesley College where he maintained high-speed links to London, Delhi and other locations. In his role he was handling very important classified information, and much of it was relayed in code.

In May 1945 Jim was transferred to Morotia in the Halmaheras where he again worked the High Speed Radio Wireless and he was discharged in December of 1945.

Tom Crow was in Melbourne catching up with family and friends. Whilst at the School, he attended the Remembrance Day service and enjoyed a tour of the new Music School in the James Forbes Academy. He is now "semi-retired but busier than ever" with a range of international projects of considerable innovation and importance.

Tim Shearer