Great Scot September 2018 Gt Scot_154_September_online | Page 10

Sir John Monash
ceremony. Dr Mark Johnston, Head of History, spoke
to the boys about the ceremony on 12 August 1918,
illustrating the talk by reference to the silent footage
taken of the event on that day.
The general was seen greeting the King in the drive
of the chateau of Bertangles, walking with him past
numerous German artillery pieces captured in the
recent battle, and then kneeling on the porch of the
chateau as the King tapped him on both shoulders
and told him to ‘Arise, Sir John’. Then there was
footage of Monash at Peronne the following month
among his troops, with whom he was clearly at ease,
and with Prime Minister Billy Hughes.
THE BEAUTIFULLY
REFURBISHED BUST
OF SIR JOHN MONASH
ON STAGE DURING THE
SPECIAL ASSEMBLY
ON 10 AUGUST 2018.
CHARLIE SCHILLING
(SCHOOL CAPTAIN),
FINN TSIGARAS (CADET
UNIT SENIOR CUO), FINN
HARTNETT (CAPTAIN OF
MONASH HOUSE)
Dr Johnston pointed out that Monash often had to
employ his considerable diplomatic skills to deal with
politicians and military leaders. He concluded by
affirming that Sir John Monash rose to his position of
eminence despite prejudice against him on the basis
of his German and Jewish ancestry.
Monash is one of few Australians, apart from
Commemorating an
event of which Scotch will
always be proud
On Friday 10 August 2018 a special Assembly was Deputy Chairman of the School Council and current
held in Memorial Hall. Two days earlier the Assembly Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Australia,
had featured a discussion of the battle of Amiens, Rt Rev John Wilson; and the President of OSCA Mr
fought 100 years before on 8 August 1918, and Andrew Crawford (‘89).
described by German General, Erich Ludendorff, Our hymn for the Assembly, during which the organ
as ‘the Black Day of the German Army’. Old Scotch was accompanied by student brass players, was All
Collegian, General John Monash (1881), planned the people that on earth do dwell (The Old Hundredth,
battle and his Australian Corps took a leading role. based on Psalm 100). This hymn was sung at the
Four days later, on 12 August, King George V visited opening of Memorial Hall on Anzac Day 1922, an
Monash at the Australian headquarters at Bertangles, occasion on which Sir John Monash addressed
northern France, and gave him the rare honour of the School.
knighting him in the field. The special Assembly of 10 After a homily and prayer from Reverend David
August was held to commemorate that knighting. Assender, the Cadet Unit CUO, Finn Tsigaras
A beautiful bust of General Monash was refurbished (Year 12), told of Sir John Monash’s military career,
for this occasion and placed on the stage, together including his appointment as commander of the
with a large screen on which were projected moving Australian Corps in May 1918. Finn also read a letter
images of General Monash in 1918, and especially that Monash took time to write to the Principal, Mr
during the knighting ceremony. Another large screen Littlejohn in June 1918, reaffirming his affection for
was erected in the Quad to project the events inside the School and his pride in the achievements of other
the hall and the same 1918 images to the Year 7 Old Scotch Collegians who had gone overseas with
and 8 boys who were seated there, enabling the the AIF.
whole Senior School to hear and see this impressive Finn Hartnett (Year 12), Captain of Monash House,
ceremony. then spoke of the ceremony in which Monash laid
Joining us for this special event were the Chairman of the foundation stone of Memorial Hall. He showed
the Scotch Council, the Hon Dr David Kemp (‘59); the the audience the trowel that Sir John used in the
10
Great Scot Number 154 – September 2018
sportspersons, who all can agree was a ‘great
Australian’. Monash himself was conscious that
he was part of a great team effort in the war, and
he hoped that the AIF’s spirit of ‘mutual help,
comradeship and self-sacrifice’ would help make
Australia a still greater country. Dr Johnston repeated
and reinforced Monash’s final words from his 1918
letter to the School, in which the current boys were
said to be fortunate to be part of the great traditions
established by Old Scotch Collegians in World War I.
In his closing remarks, the Principal expanded on
the theme of Monash’s greatness, and told the boys
how Monash, a man who had made a substantial
contribution to the course of history, was an inspiring
figure and the greatest ever Scotch Collegian. He
pointed out, too, that John Monash, Dux of our
School in 1881, had at Scotch not suffered the
intolerance sometimes accorded those of Jewish
heritage elsewhere in the community.
He informed the boys that all students and staff of
the School would at the end of the day receive a
copy of Monash’s memoir of the Australian victories
of 1918. Mr Batty then presented the first book to
Finn Hartnett, Captain of Monash House, and Finn
and the other Monash boys were given the honour
of leaving the Hall first. Later in the day many boys
took up the suggestion that they leave the School
via Monash Drive and Monash Gates, as a gesture
honouring the man after whom these iconic locations
within Scotch College are named. Thus concluded
a special day commemorating the centenary of an
event of which our School will always be proud.
DR MARK JOHNSTON — HEAD OF HISTORY