Brian Walsh Profile

Brian Walsh (SKC '35)

The Walsh family lived in Footscray and South Yarra in suburban Melbourne and Brian was second of four siblings. Laurence and Elsie Walsh were both devout Catholics and worked very hard to send their children to Catholic schools. Brian was awarded a scholarship and attended CBC St Kilda and St Kevin's, completing his Leaving certificate in 1935 at St Kevin's Orrong Road.

He commenced work in 1936 at Buxton Real Estate in Albert Park for the grand total of 30 shillings a week. In 1937 he applied to Australian Glass (AGI) and commenced working there as a trainee Accountant while studying part-time.

When war broke out in 1939, he enlisted with the 14th Battalion, located on the corner of Punt Road and Commercial Street. As Accountancy was a "protected profession", he had to return to work at AGI until suitable replacements were found (two were needed to cover his workload). This took 12 months to achieve, so he spent that period at the AGI Spotswood facility.

When he returned to the Army, he was rated, as B Class, because, while rowing in Melbourne, he had two hernia operations and the Army was not satisfied that they had been performed adequately. Brian contested this and eventually was allowed to return to his battalion. He was based in the Australian Club on William St. Shortly after commencing, he was summoned into the Adjutant's office one morning with the bellowing question: "Walsh, who the bloody hell do you know high up in the Army?" He was advised that he was being immediately transferred to Brisbane to work on an "unknown assignment".

Arriving in Brisbane, he proceeded to 21 Henry St, Ascot, the home of Central Bureau. This was one of two Allied Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) organisations in the SW Pacific Area during World War II. CB was attached to the Headquarters of the Allied Commander of the South-West Pacific area, Douglas MacArthur. CB's role was to research and decrypt intercepted Japanese Army (land and air) traffic and work in close co-operation with other SIGINT centres in the USA, UK and India. Brian was in advanced positions very close to the Japanese front line, moving northwards until ultimately reaching Japan. All this had to be kept secret from family and friends for many years after the war finished.

After the war, Brian returned to Melbourne but had to wait a further year to be discharged from the Army. He then returned to AGI in Spotswood, transferring to AGI Adelaide on 30 June 1950. While on holiday in Lorne, he met Josephine Hay, whose family was from Renmark, South Australia, and they later married in Adelaide.

Brian eventually set up in private practice in the Adelaide Steamship Building. During his time, he also was involved in the ownership of various firms, notably furniture and ice-cream companies.

Throughout his working life and well into retirement, Brian was actively involved with charitable organisations. He volunteered at St Vincent de Paul, doing evening sessions in the homeless shelter; the Daughters of Charity, working early in the morning preparing food in the kitchen well into his 90s; and Legacy, serving as both State and National President.

From an early age, Brian has been a keen pipe smoker, rowed with the Melbourne Rowing Club, played golf twice a week (he was a member of both the Commonwealth Golf Club and Kooyonga), built and sailed dinghies and was involved with various wine and food societies. He follows cricket and Australian Rules football with great enthusiasm (Footscray, Sturt and the Adelaide Crows). He was a founder, and later, President, of the Wine & Food Society as well as the Beef Steak & Burgundy Club. After retiring from golf, Brian took up croquet and played well into his late 90s.

He is pre-deceased by all his siblings, Madge (99 years old), Kevin (92) and Shirley (91).

Brian lives on his own in the family home in Malvern, Adelaide, since Jo died in 2001. Their four children are Anthony, Angela, Catherine and Tim.

On St Patrick's Day 2020, four generations of his family and friends celebrated both his 100th birthday and what would have also been his 71st wedding anniversary.