FATE – AND HOW I ENDED UP AT CBC TERRACE FRANK BATINI (CLASS OF 1958)

I was born in 1941, at home, in a small coal mining village, some 150 kms south of Trieste, in the Italian peninsula known as Istria. My four grandparents had different nationalities: Italian, Austrian, Slovenian and Croatian. Both my father and grandfather were mining engineers and my future was probably to follow them underground. Then came World War II. We lost our home and our possessions, Istria became part of Marshal Tito’s Jugoslavia and we found ourselves in Trieste, living in a two bedroom apartment with my maternal grandfather (a widower) and my uncle. As displaced persons we were entitled to migrate under the United Nation’s International Refugee Organisation’s programme that resettled millions of people who could not return to their former homes. We had three choices: Canada, Argentina and Australia. My parents chose Australia and in June 1950 we travelled from Naples, in a former troop-carrier (SS Oxfordshire), via the Suez Canal, Aden, Colombo and arrived in Fremantle 31 days later. We were taken to the former army camp near Northam and lived in the Nissan huts, with hung blankets separating each family’s ‘room’. This period is welldescribed in Dr Nonja Peters’ book, Milk and Honey – but no Gold. Eventually we moved to the ‘Holden camp’ within walking distance of Northam and had our own bedroom. My brother, Peter, was born in Northam. The men were sent to work at various jobs some distance away during the week and usually returned every weekend. In 1951 we moved to a rental in Havelock Street in West Perth and I attended St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School just across the road. At the end of the year my parents decided that I should attend Perth Modern School, which was just a short distance away.

When the Mercy nuns, that had taught me heard of this, they approached the Headmaster at CBC Perth (Brother Quilligan) and asked if I could be given a ‘disadvantage scholarship’. The Brothers agreed to waive school fees and I started in Year 5 in 1952 and continued at CBC for seven years, graduating in 1958. As far as I am aware, this generous arrangement by the Christian Brothers was never formalised in writing or made public. I enjoyed my time at CBC, scholastically, socially and on the sporting field. I became a Prefect, a CUO in the Army Cadets and represented the school in hockey (Captain), cricket (Vice-captain), tennis, football (only just) and the rifle team. I achieved good results in Year 12 and was able to attend The University of Western Australia, graduating with a Bachelor of Science, a Diploma in Forestry (Australian Forestry School, Canberra) and later a Master of Science from Oxford University (UK). I also made a number of good friends and we still meet regularly for a coffee and chat 64 years later.

When my mother died, as executor of her will, money was gifted to the Christian Brothers, to allow their generous financial support for other disadvantaged students to continue at Trinity College. On reflection, I realise how much my life has been affected by a number of random events – war, migration, choosing Australia, arriving in Perth (rather than Melbourne or Sydney), the Mercy nuns and the Christian Brothers. If I had attended Perth Modern School as planned my life path would have been very different. It is most unlikely that I would have ever met my wife, Irene, (at a Catholic dance)... or our children... or grandchildren. For that, I send a big thank you to the Brothers and to the Terrace.