R EVIEW
August Monthly Luncheon Review John Monash - Australia’s National Possession by Michael Headberry
Michael Headberry heads up The Monash Pioneers, the alumni group of Monash University students from the first five years (1961 to 1965) and, as Chairman of the Saluting Monash Council in Victoria, spearheads the campaign to have Sir John awarded an Honorary rank of Field Marshal. John Monash was the founding chairman of our Association (then called the Melbourne University (Graduates) Association) in 1911 (and thus before WW1). Our Association has provided support for this ranking. 26
Michael began his presentation by congratulating the team at Graduate House for their actions over the last 18 months noting that the spirit of John Monash was indeed alive and well. He then spoke of three commemorative statues of Monash (see above). The one on the left, completed in 1950, near the Shrine of Remembrance, a second (centre) installed in 2015 at Monash University — which Michael is proud to have initiated after learning that most students thought that the university had been named after the freeway
