Anecdotes from the archives

STORIES OF RESILIENCE AND WAR

One interest I have always had in working with the history of St Mary’s College is exploring the stories of alumni who have served in the defence forces and/or in wars. There can be no doubt that many of our women would have played various roles in the major wars of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Lucinda Casey (class of 1998), pictured right, is an example of a young woman who has made her career in the Navy, serving in the Middle East, as well as all over the world. Through most of our history we have had boys at St Mary’s College, so it stands to reason that many of those boys will have served our country. I have yet to make a project out of this matter, but it is on my wish list.

Beatrix Kelly was educated at St Mary’s in the early 1900s and she volunteered for war service in early 1918, serving at Roseneath Military Hospital and later, at the Bombay Convalescent Hospital, where she was a Theatre Sister. Beatrix is survived by her niece Marjorie (Darcey) Fitzpatrick who, at 106 years of age, is our oldest surviving former scholar. I’m sure the story of Beatrix is the tip of the iceberg of similar stories. Born in Hobart in 1896, as a young boy, Norman Meagher was educated at St Mary’s College, before moving on to Officer College on the Glebe and Queen’s College. At the end of 1911, Norman matriculated and began working in the Law Department of the public service while studying Law at the university. He was a champion marksman in the cadets and a talented trumpet player. After his enlistment and training at Ross, Norman sailed from Tasmania in 1916 with the 40th Battalion. He survived Flanders and Messines only to be shot at Ypres in late 1917. Norman’s story contains all the tragedy and poignancy and unrealised potential of the stories of his generation. To make some sense out of his death, Norman’s father published a small book in 1918, containing all his boy’s letters home and his other writings. If you have a family story of any SMC alumni who served I would love to hear from you to build on the scant information which I have.

Margaret Rootes Heritage Officer and Alumni Association President