pilot to land in France after D-Day, the first Australian to compete in world-championship Grand Prix motor-racing, and the driving force behind the establishment of the Goodwood motor-racing circuit in England. As if this were not adventure enough, in 1960 he represented Australia in the World Gliding Championships in Germany. In 1977 Tony married Diana, widow of Lex Davison whose legendary career as a motor-racing driver is the subject of Lex Davison: Larger than Life by Graham Howard (Turton and Armstrong, Sydney, 2004), and grandmother of Claire Greig née Davison (Cl’92), Nicholas Davison (M’95), and Alberta Coad (Year 9). Philip Russell (M’38), who died in April, won a prize for art in each of his nine years at GGS, and his love of sketching and painting issued in six books, an impressive personal collection, and generous support of art, particularly as president of the Geelong Art Gallery, founder of the Geelong and District branch of ADFAS, and annual donor of Philip Russell Prizes for Art at the School. The only son of Alex Russell (OS’11) and brother of Virginia (Cl’37) and Robina, he was the heir to an important property, Mawallok, near Beaufort, where – after war service for six years in 13 countries including Egypt, Libya (where he was captured by Italians but almost immediately rescued by Australians who had taken Bardia), Greece, and New Guinea (as a lieutenant and forward observation officer, often behind the Japanese lines) – he more than trebled the yield during the 34 years during which he ran the property. Up to 23 rabbiters at a time rid it of two million rabbits, its famous Merino stud rose in esteem, the annual output of wool-bales was more than doubled to 1000, nearly 10,000 fat lambs were sold each year, cattle numbers increased greatly, a modern piggery produced 2000 porkers or baconers annually, and a useful sideline was Christmas trees. Politics was another passion, and he was a member of the Victorian division of the Liberal Party of Australia for more than 60 years and president from 1970-73. He was OGG president from 1970-72 and compiled a volume of 359 memoirs, Old Geelong Grammarians at War, published in 1996. He and his wife (and second-cousin), Alethea (née Fairbairn), were generous hosts to many visitors from across Australia and overseas. Their children are Sandy (M’65), Ian (M’68), Susie Perchey (Cl’69), and Caroline Trumble (Cl’73), and four of their eight grandchildren have so far attended GGS. The Honourable Richard Strachan de Fégely (FB’47) is the author of Fegeli, de Fégely, 1341-2008: Fribourg to Ararat (2009), with editing, design, typesetting, and formatting by Robjon Partners of Point Lonsdale – the partners being John Bedggood (Cu’52; Staff 1955-56 and 1960-95) and Robby Bedggood (Matron 1966-67; OGGs’ Assistant 198896). Four brothers in this Swiss family were ennobled in 1692 by the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, and Dick’s grandfather and father were each known as Baron de Fégely whereas he himself uses simply the title “Honourable”, a result of his service as Member for Ballarat
Province in the Legislative Council of Victoria from 1985-99. In their foreword to this family history, the sons of Dick and Ruth née Beggs OAM (He’48) – Charles (FB’72), Rob (FB’74; now President of the OGGs), and Philip (FB’78) – give generous help to those who have difficulty with either the spelling or the pronunciation of their surname: “Dad quite cleverly overcame this pronunciation problem when he stood for the Victorian Parliament by adopting the slogan, ‘Don’t vote vaguely – vote de Fégely’. For those of you whose acquaintance with French was a long time ago the ‘é’ gives the ‘ay’ sound.” Dick’s book is fascinating not least for unfolding ancestral ramifications with many aspects of European history including mercenaries, the Swiss (or Papal) Guards (over 700 of whom, including several de Fégelys, were killed or captured by a Paris mob searching for Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette during the siege of the Tuileries on 10 August 1792), and the assassination at Sarajevo on 28 June 1914 of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his morganatic wife, the Countess Sophie Chotek (Dick’s grandfather Baron Charles’s second-cousin) – the spark that lit the fuse leading to World War One. It is also a fine contribution to the history of Australia, to which Baron Charles came in 1879. John Landy AC, MBE (M’48; Staff 1954-57), former Governor of Victoria, is the eponym of The Landy Era (Melbourne Books, 2009) in which Len Johnson explores the work of the coaches and the achievements of the athletes who in the 1950s took Australia to a world summit in athletics. Peter Watkin (M’48), who died in March, was an auto-industry executive for over 30 years and then held senior management positions with Amcal Chemists and Australian United Foods. A good swimmer and a champion junior tennis player, he became an accomplished golfer who played off a handicap of 1 or 2 at the Victoria Golf Club. A keen Melbourne supporter and a member of the MCC for 50 years, he was the much-loved husband of Ruth and father of Simon, Zita, Tim, and Amanda. Dr William (Bill) McKellar (FB’56) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours “for service to medicine as a paediatrician, and to the community of Barwon”. Sue Mackinnon (He’58), christened Mary Margaret, who died in April, was a journalist, writer, editor, and – in the words of Virginia Trioli in an obituary in The Age – “one of the great personalities of her generation, as well as an admired and loved figure in the Victorian wine industry”. The granddaughter, daughter, sister, and aunt of Geelong Grammarians, she was one of the Mackinnons of Kaladbro, near Casterton. Educated at Alexandra College, The Hermitage, Ruyton, the Sorbonne, and Melbourne University (where she studied English literature), she was one of a group who transformed the Carlton News into the Melbourne Times; worked at the Bendigo Advertiser; and in 1975 joined Greenhouse Publications, for whom she edited This
Australia and became managing editor, with a special interest in presenting Aboriginal art to a wider public. In 1974 she and Graeme Leith established the Passing Clouds winery at Kingower, near Bendigo, where their dry-growth vines produced “award-winning wines that are some of the most original and respected in the country”. Her country home there “became a salon for conversation and wine appreciation, not only for the diverse local community, but for the cross-section of artists, writers, architects, publishers, cooks, and current and former politicians whom she counted among her friends”. Her sister, Jill McFarlane (He’56), joined her there in 1994. Sue’s courage and grace in dealing with muscular dystrophy were among the many qualities for which she was admired as well as loved. Associate Professor John Agar (P’64) was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2009 Queen’s Birthday Honours “for service to renal medicine, and to the community of Geelong”. Chris Baxter OAM (FB’64) has written A Child at Heart: The Story of a Foster-Child (Broad Content, Melbourne, 2009), a wonderful book based on his and his wife, Sue’s, foster-parenting of a child (now an adult) called Marie. The former Premier of Victoria Joan Kirner AM wrote that it “paints a sharp, sometimes breathtaking picture of the challenges and joys of foster-parents and foster-child. It’s both a moving story and one that quietly demonstrates why greater support for foster-families is urgently needed.” Marie herself wrote: “If this book results in even just one child getting what I got from foster care it will be worthwhile.” Richard Moore (Ot’71), whose performance in the lead role of Oliver at Corio in 1971 is well remembered, is Director of the 2009 Melbourne International Film Festival. John Officer (P’74) has edited the frank and engrossing account - lovingly preserved by him and David (P’72) - of their father’s war service as a fighter pilot in 450 Squadron, RAAF, in the Middle East, and as a prisoner-ofwar: George John “Gus” Officer’s Six O’Clock Diamond: The Story of a Desert Harasser (Woolhouse Press, 31 Woolhouse Street, Northcote 3070). Jonathan Cook (A/Fr/L’77) is chairman of the Hornibrook Group of Transport Companies, based in Brisbane, and managing director of Australian Transit Enterprises, operating in South Australia and Western Australia; both groups are involved in passenger transport, running buses. His many adventures include walking the Kokoda Track, climbing Mount Kinadobu, doing the Sandakan Death March walk, and in February 2009, with five others, paddling across Bass Strait in two-man kayaks (staying overnight on a succession of islands during the eight-day, 300-kilometre crossing, which raised $40,000 to assist research into the Rett H syndrome in children). He and his wife, Christina, have three sons – Oliver, Hugo, and Ned – all at Churchie in Brisbane, where Oliver is school captain. 35