The Lampstand 2015

1T h e L a m p s t a n d | 2 0 1 5

Novem

ber | 20

15Issu

e: 25

The annual magazine for Old Boys and Friends of Wellington CollegeRemembering our fallen, 100 years on

LAMPSTANDThe

Wellington College Old Boys Association PO Box 16073, Wellington, NZ 6242 Tel: 04 802 2537 Email: [email protected]

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79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91

66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78

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105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117

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T h e L a m p s t a n d | 2 0 1 5 T h e L a m p s t a n d | 2 0 1 5

ISSUE No. 25Wellington College OBA

PO Box 16073, Wellington 6242Tel: 04 802 2537

Email: [email protected]

The Lampstand is published

annually for alumni and

friends of Wellington College.

Opinions expressed do not

necessarily reflect the views of the Association or the College.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:Proofreading by Gil Roper (1959-

1961). Archival material supplied

by the Colleges Archivist,

Paddianne Neely.

Lampstand contributions,

feedback and suggestions are

always welcome and can be

sent to us at the above address.

We appreciate hearing news

and success stories as well as

memories and feedback - we

encourage you to be involved.

STAYING IN TOUCH:The WCOBA is about staying

in touch with those who share

that common experience

and connection. The WCOBA

maintains a database of all

students who have attended

Wellington College - currently

just over 32,000.

Keep your contact details up-

to-date, especially your email

address so you can be informed

on news and events (especially

reunions and functions).

Communication via email helps

keep our postage and printing

costs to a minimum and of course

is instantaneous.

Stephanie Kane, Editor

WCOBA Executive Officer and Wellington College

Communications Manager

[email protected]

Are your Details Up to Date?Do WE have your email address?To ensure you are kept up to date with all the exciting and informative alumni news and events, please ensure your contact details are correct. It only takes a few minutes to guarantee you will never miss out on hearing about upcoming reunions, events and important alumni and College updates.

All you need to do is email us: [email protected] CONNECTED WITH WELLINGTON COLLEGE

Remember to send us your memories, feedback, news and achievements of yourself and fellow Old Boys for our

magazine and on social media.

Readers can also keep in touch with current College News through our

website - www.wc.school.nz or through our Facebook Pages - Wellington College

AND Wellington College Old Boys.

By joining the WCOBA, you can help us

to print the Lampstand, fund Old Boys'

events, as well as support College Awards,

buildings, activities and the Archives.

LIFE MEMBERSHIP: $150.00 (Includes a Life Membership

Certificate and Lapel Pin)

If you wish to just make a donation to the

WCOBA to cover general administration, we

would very much appreciate your support.

Details are in the enclosed insert or on our

website.

Join us on Facebook

Old Boys recorded on our database: 32, 663 Old Boys recorded as Deceased: 9,400Old Boys without ANY Contact Details: 9,242 Old Boys with an Email Address: 4,272

* TAKEN FROM THE WCOBA DATABASE 1867 - 2015

Most Popular First Names Most Popular Surnames

Smith Wilson Brown Taylor Young

18% 14% 11% 10% 10%

Williams Jones Martin Anderson Scott

8% 8% 7% 7% 7%

Can you spare us $5.00?

Firth House Boarders

Mo

st p

op

ula

r m

on

th t

o b

e b

orn

: O

CT

OB

ER

Mo

st p

op

ula

r d

ay

to

be

bo

rn:

W

ED

NE

SD

AY

1811 students lived as Boarders at some

stage*.

398 are recorded

as deceased.

* weeks/months/years

* These figures are taken from the database as at 30 September, 2015. By 31 December, there will be a further 320 added when the Class of 2015 is included, plus students from other year groups who have already left or will do so at the end of 2015.

Where we post The Lampstand:

8378 New Zealand

416 Australia

120 England

71 United States

36 Canada

13 Thailand

7 France, Germany and Israel

5 Scotland, Switzerland and United Arab Emirates

3Argentina, China, Cook islands, Fiji, Hong Kong, Japan,

Netherlands and Samoa

2 Denmark, Ireland and Malaysia

1Finland, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Malta, Mexico,

Micronesia, New Caledonia, PNG, Tonga, Vietnam and Wales

354 By email only

FACTS and FIGURES

We know most of you are not actually lost

or missing... we just don't have your current

email address or physical address. But fear

not... we are slowly but surely finding missing alumni through Facebook and Linked In.

However, if you are in contact with fellow

classmates or sons, brothers, fathers etc,

please direct them to our website.

Finding our Old Boys will help us inform them

about forthcoming reunions, events and of

course, the 150th Celebrations in 2017.

Friday, 20 October - Sunday, 22 October 2017

The Lampstand

John William/Bill David James/Jim Robert/Bob Peter

19% 11% 10% 10% 8% 8%

Michael/Mike Richard/Rick Ian Thomas/Tom Andrew George

7% 6% 6% 5% 5% 5%

Where are You?

"Did you know that The Lampstand is supported only by donations from our readers, not by ads?"

WERE NOT ASKING FOR MUCH, BUT IF YOU COULD SPARE $5.00, YOUR SUPPORT WILL ENSURE THAT THE LAMPSTAND CARRIES ON IN ITS CURRENT HARD-COPY AND POSTED FORMAT SO OUR READERS CAN CONTINUE TO ENJOY THE NEWS OF OUR FELLOW OLD BOYS, STAFF AND THE COLLEGE.

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Digitalising our HISTORY From the PRESIDENTacting

v

OLD BOYS... YOUR ASSOCIATION NEEDS you!The WCOBA Committee are seeking new and youthful

members to join their Executive.

If you have skills in accounting, law, finance, marketing, event planning or business nous - why not

put them to use?

The Executive meets around four times a year and with the 150th approaching, we welcome your input.

Please contact the WCOBA Office: [email protected] for more information.

1891

1892

1893

1894 Peter Bischof

1895 Peter Bischof

1896 Peter Bischof

1897 Peter Bischof

1898 Peter Bischof

1899 Peter Bischof

1900 Peter Bischof

1901 Peter Bischof

1902 Peter Bischof

1903 Peter Bischof

1904 Peter Bischof

1905 Michael Monaghan

1906 Peter Bischof

1907 Peter Bischof

1908 Peter Bischof

1909 Peter Bischof

1910 Peter Bischof

1911 Peter Bischof

1912 Peter Bischof

1913 Peter Bischof

1914 Peter Bischof

1915 Peter Bischof

1916 Peter Bischof

1917 Peter Bischof

1918 Peter Bischof

1919

1920

1921

1922

1923

1924 Paddianne Neely

1925

1926 Simon Kember

1927 Simon Kember

1928 Simon Kember

1929 Simon Kember

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948 Stuart McIntyre

1949

1950 Peter Davenport

1951 Graeme MacFarlane

1952

1953 Vas Coory

1954 Bill Hinkley

1955 Warwick/Trevor Bringans

1956 Malcolm Perrett

1957 Hugh Maehl

1958 Robbie Bruce

1959 Barry Green

1960 Stephen Sherring

1961 Hugh Aston

1962 Jeremy Cooper

1963

1964 Nick Cooper

1965 John Wedde

1966

1967 Tim Castle

1968

Our thanks to those Old

Boys who have kindly sponsored a digital issue of

the Wellingtonian - which will soon become a on-line version for one and all to access. There

are still quite a few to sponsor, so

perhaps if you can sponsor your

cohorts magazine or you could

sponsor your son or father or

grandfathers year or just any year.

Alternatively, you may wish to

just make a donation towards the

process. Its a one-off payment of $60.00 (payable to the WCOBA)

and with your support, we will be

able to get each issue scanned,

(with OCR text recognition

for searching) and loaded in

a magazine format on the

Wellington College website.

Name (s):

Cohort: eg Class of 1965: *Email:

* Alternative year to sponsor: Or any random yearDonation: To the general processing of the Wellingtonians OR To the LampstandCheque: $60.00 payable to WCOBA or Credit Card details below

Expiry: / / Visa MastercardName on Card:

Please post to WCOBA. PO Box 16073, Wellington 6242 or Email [email protected] with your card number.

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972 John Waymouth

1973

1974 Kenneth McDonald

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979 Peter Bischof

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984 Paul Swallow

1985

1986

1987 Rakesh Patel

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992 Ramesh Naran

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

"UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF HEADMASTER ROGER MOSES, WELLINGTON COLLEGE CONTINUES TO THRIVE. DESPITE THE

EVER INCREASING DEMANDS ON ROGER, HE ALWAYS MANAGES

TO MAKE TIME FOR OLD BOYS AND TAKE AN INTEREST IN THEIR

ACTIVITIES. THANK YOU ROGER FOR YOUR ONGOING SUPPORT

AND WISE COUNSEL.".

about half of those who had signed the menu had been killed on the

shores and slopes of Gallipoli.

As has become our custom at the Colleges ANZAC services, we relate

the story of an Old Boy killed on active duty. This year we honoured

Jack Howard (2000-2004) who was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. It

was particularly poignant as Jacks life was recounted by his father

Roger Howard. Present at the assembly were eight Old Boys who

are currently serving or recently retired with the New Zealand Armed

Forces. There is now a plaque for Jack Howard on the back wall of the

Assembly Hall. This has been donated by the Old Boys Association.

In June, a group of current Wellington College students laid 25

poppies at the base of the New Zealand Memorial at Chunuk Bair,

Gallipoli. Each poppy had the name of a Wellington College Old Boy

killed at Gallipoli written on it. In August, a delegation from the Old

Boys University Rugby Club presented a magnificent carved wooden rifle to the College. The rifle commemorates the life of College Old Boy and star rugby player, Hmi Grace who was killed at Chunuk Bair.

The achievements of Old Boys over a diverse range of activities are

always proudly noted. Many of these achievements are highlighted in

this edition of The Lampstand.

Also noted in The Lampstand is a record of those Old Boys who

have passed away in the course of the year. One of these is John

Marshall. Johns life was one of service to the community, including

the Wellington College community. John was Head Prefect in 1964.

He personified what it meant to be a proud Old Boy. John served the College as a member of the Board of Trustees and as Chairman of

the Colleges Foundation as well as taking an interest in all matters,

Wellington College. It was John who along with Stephanie Kane,

introduced the first 40 Years On Reunions back in 2004. At his funeral, there were many Old Boys present. Among the splendid eulogies,

was one given by his old school mate and opening bat partner, Keith

Quinn and one delivered by Headmaster, Roger Moses. The Colleges

Chorale also sang.

In Labour Weekend 2017, the Wellington College Community

celebrates 150 years. Planning is well underway as we prepare for this

stand-out event. From now on, updates will keep you posted with the

range of activities and events planned.

In conclusion and on Matts behalf, I would like to thank the members

of the WCOBA Executive; Bob Slade, Matthew Rewiti, Brian Smythe,

Guy Randall, Roger Moses, Scott Tingey and Ernie Rosenthal. I would

particularly like to acknowledge the work tirelessly carried out by the

Associations Executive Officer, Stephanie Kane. Stephanies eye for detail, superb organisation and perseverance at tracking down Old

Boys are all pivotal to the success of keeping the family together and

well informed.

Under the leadership of Headmaster Roger Moses, Wellington College

continues to thrive. Despite the ever increasing demands on Roger, he

always manages to make time for Old Boys and take an interest in their

activities. Thank you Roger for your ongoing support and wise counsel.

Robert Anderson (1969-1973), Deputy Principal

[email protected]

It is my privilege to present the 2014-2015 Wellington College Old Boys Presidents report. I do so on behalf of Matthew

Beattie who is currently on sick leave from the Executive. We wish Matt a speedy

recovery and look forward to his return to the helm of the Old Boys Association.

2014-2015 has been another busy year for the Wellington College Old

Boys Association. In many ways, the heart of the Association is the

gathering of Old Boys. These events take place in many forms. They

may be year group reunions or gatherings by geographic location. They

provide the opportunity for old school mates to catch up, reminisce and

also to be brought up-to-date with what is currently happening on the

academic, sporting and cultural fronts of the College.

Over the past twelve months, Headmaster, Roger Moses and the

Executive Officer, Stephanie Kane have hosted functions in Tauranga, Levin and Wellington (coinciding with the Quadrangular Tournament.)

As well, the classes of 1965 and 1974 turned up in force to enjoy their

respective 50 and 40 Years-On Reunions. These year group reunions continue to be a feature of our annual calendar. They are well attended

and Old Boys come from far and wide to enjoy themselves and to

inspect first hand their old school.

The Leavers Lunch for the current Year 13 cohort affords an opportunity to welcome what will be the youngest group of Old Boys

into the fold. As well as these formal gatherings, up and down the

country and overseas, small groups of Old Boys make contact with

one another and catch up. The bond of being a Wellington College Old

Boy is a strong one.

This year as a nation, we commemorated the 100th anniversary of the

landings at Gallipoli. In early April 1915, a group about 40 Old Boys

serving with the New Zealand Army met up for a Reunion Dinner in

Alexandria. At the dinner there was no deference to rank and men of

all ranks mingled freely, starting conversations with, do you remember

that time at school when.. At the end of the evening, everyone signed

the menu and it was posted back to J P Firth. Within a few months

76


WCOBA OBJECTIVESTHE WELLINGTON COLLEGE OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION WAS FOUNDED TO:

Further the interests of the College and its past and present members and keep former students in touch with each other and with the school.

Maintain a register of names of all who have passed through the College since 1867 and endeavour to record the addresses of all those alive.

Arrange reunions and other functions for Old Boys.

Where needed, support current students at the College.

THESE AIMS ARE MET BY THE ASSOCIATION BY UNDERTAKING THE FOLLOWING:

Produce The Lampstand and similar publications each year, covering activities of Old Boys and other relevant information.

Maintain a computerised database, giving details of all Old Boys of the College including teaching staff. This includes addresses where known. The Executive Officer will release addresses to bona fide Old Boys but will not allow any access for commercial purposes.

Provide financial support for College activities, including sporting and cultural activities, sponsorship and academic prizes, as well as supporting the Archives.

Organise various reunions and other social functions - at the College, nationwide or internationally for Old Boys who the Association wishes to encourage and extend.

Administer charitable funds managed by the Association for current and past students, including assistance with fundraising appeals.

HOW WE CALCULATE YOUR COHORT FOR OUR REUNION PROGRAMME:

Example 1: Started 1962 Left 1965 Cohort is still 1966

Example 2: Started 1963 Left 1965 Cohort is still 1966 (as you were in Form 3 at

another school)

Form 3 Form 4 Form 5 Form 6Up. 5th

Form 7Up. 6th

Form 3 Form 4 Form 5 Form 6

Up. 5th

Form 7

Up. 6th

1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966

3C1 4C1 5C1 5U2 6XX 3XX 4C1 5C1 5U2 6XX

Thus 1966 is your Cohort Year (ie the five years from Form 3 to Form 7/Upper 6th

Thus 1966 is your Cohort Year (ie the five years from Form 3 to Form 7/Upper 6th)

1966 is the year from which your anniversary of leaving school is calculated, by adding 10, 20, 40, 50, 60 years etc. Your cohort leaving year may not be the actual year you left Wellington College, but captures all those fellow students who you were at school with, irrespective of how many years you were at the College, or the years you actually started or left.

Old Boys and former staff are invited to receive the Colleges Collegian Newsletter (issued quarterly) and

Free of Charge. Each issue contains an

abundance of news from the College -

academic, cultural, sporting, plus success

stories achieved by our students and staff.

The Collegian is emailed so if you wish

to keep up to date, please email us to be

included in the circulation list.

WCOBA Administration From the HEADMASTERWanganui Collegiate in 1907.

On leaving school, Hmi played rugby for Wellington College Old Boys' and was selected subsequently to represent NZ Mori, the North Island and Wellington. At the end of one season, WCOB had been

relegated and the players were discussing which club they would be

playing for next year. Hmi Grace, it was reported, said simply I will be playing for Old Boys!

It was, therefore, a very poignant occasion this year at the assembly

commemorating Chunuk Bair, when the Old-Boys-University Rugby

Club (OBU) presented Wellington College with a magnificent trophy of a carved WWI rifle , encased with replicas of Hmis medals honouring him. How proud he would have been of the performance of his former

club which in 2015 won the Jubilee Cup for the first time for many years. How proud, too, he would have been of the forty-three current

students who performed a Haka on the summit of Chunuk Bair this

year as they visited this most tragic of memorial sites on the History

trip to battle sites of WWI.

It was a deeply moving experience as the names were read of the

twenty-five Wellington College Old Boys who lost their lives in this ill-fated initiative of the Allied forces.

One of the abiding features of a traditional school such as Wellington

College is a profound sense of history. We feel that we are part of

something greater than our immediate cohort and that the enduring

values provide a touchstone for all students throughout the ages. Just

as we look back with respect on those who have gone before, such as

Hmi Grace and hundreds of his colleagues, we can also look forward to a celebration of our 150th anniversary in 2017, confident in the knowledge that those same values of loyalty, honesty, commitment,

service to others and personal sacrifice, transcend particularities of time and place and will guide and inspire new generations of

Wellington College students in the future.

Roger Moses,ONZM Headmaster

[email protected]

Your ExecutiveActing President Robert Anderson Class of 1973

[email protected] Past President Brian Smythe Class of 1958

[email protected] Bob Slade Class of 1958

[email protected] Officer Stephanie Kane

[email protected] Trust Chairman Matthew Beattie Class of 1972

[email protected] Committee Members Roger Moses, Headmaster

[email protected] Matthew Rewiti Class of 1990

[email protected] Guy Randall Class of 2003

[email protected] Ernie Rosenthal Class of 1961

[email protected] Scott Tingey Class of 1978

[email protected]

T his commemorative display is made up of a carved Lee Enfield rifle, as used by NZ soldiers at Gallipoli. This was carved, along

with the kauri dedication panel, by

master carver, Dr Takirirangi Smith,

from Victoria University.

The backdrop photo is of Chunuk

Bair in the modern day, featuring

Suvla Bay in the background,

the NZ Memorial and the Turkish

trenches. Hmi Graces photo and replicas of his service

medals are also included. The

display is finished off with the Hmi Grace Story and other acknowledgements being hand

written by calligrapher Daniel

Reeve (best known for his work

on the Lord of the Rings and The

Hobbit films). In addition, the 16th Field Regiment of the Royal

New Zealand Artillery donated

brass cartridges from their live

firing exercise in September 2015. These have been engraved

"ONE OF THE ABIDING FEATURES OF A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL SUCH AS WELLINGTON COLLEGE IS A

PROFOUND SENSE OF HISTORY. WE FEEL THAT WE ARE PART OF SOMETHING GREATER THAN OUR IMMEDIATE

COHORT AND THAT THE ENDURING VALUES PROVIDE A TOUCHSTONE FOR ALL STUDENTS

THROUGHOUT THE AGES".

One hundred years on from the

Gallipoli landings, it is singularly appropriate that we, the current

Wellington College wider community, should reflect soberly on the ultimate

sacrifice made by over two hundred and twenty Old Boys in the Great War that 'was to

end all wars.'

It was on that Aegean Coast that Lieutenant-General Bernard

Freyberg, arguably Wellington Colleges most famous son, won his first Distinguished Service Order, when he swam ashore in the Gulf of Saros

to light flares which would distract the defending Turkish forces from the real landings taking place at Gallipoli.

It was in the Battle of Chunuk Bair, fought a few months later, that

the Wellington Regiment, led by Lieutenant-Colonel Malone, was

decimated in a brave but ultimately futile attempt to capture the

strategic heights and in which significant numbers of recent Old Boys of Wellington College were slaughtered.

Amongst the fallen was that remarkable young Mori soldier, Thomas 'Hmi' Grace, who was both a Wellington Cricket representative and a Mori All Black. On one side of his lineage, he was the grandson of Thomas Grace, the pioneer missionary; on the other he was the

grandson of Te Heuheu, Paramount Chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa.

In many ways, Hmi symbolises our emerging identity as New Zealanders in the early part of the 20th century.

A former Captain of the 1st XI Cricket team, Hmis name is remembered forever on the Cricket Honours Board when he gained

the impressive figures of 5 for 66 and 5 for 29 in the traditional against

by Alby Frampton with further

acknowledgements and notations.

An accompanying book about the

project, along with a DVD of the

dedication ceremonies have also

been commissioned. Hmis story seemed to be most appropriate for

this project, a gifted sportsman, a

dedicated club member together

with his involvement and demise at

one of the iconic actions involving

New Zealand troops, Chunuk Bair.

The display was dedicated and

presented to Wellington College at

Assembly in August, 2015 by Old

Boy, Doug Catley, Life Member

and President of OBU 1997-2007.

98


the REAL HEADMASTER 20 Years On

Why did you decide to become

Headmaster?

Having been a Deputy Principal

for three years, becoming a

Principal and running my own

school was the natural next step. Wellington College was a school

which aligned closely with my own

educational philosophy, so I was

delighted to be appointed to the

role which I have relished over the

last two decades.

How has education changed in

that time?

There have been several significant changes. First, the influence of technology. The students today are

all digital natives and this change

has had a profound impact on

the way teachers must operate.

Second, the introduction of NCEA

and NZ Scholarship. It has had a

major influence on the curriculum and the way its evaluated. The

workload for all has increased

markedly. Third, the vast majority

of students now spend five years at school before moving on and our

schools are now more ethnically

diverse.

What are some of your favourite

memories of your time at

Wellington College?

The World Vision Runathons

have become an integral part of

school life and have raised about

$800,000 since 1998. It is inspiring

to see young men having so much

fun as well as focusing on the

needs of those who have far less.

It would also be remiss of me not

to mention the McEvedy Shield,

that unique athletics event which

engenders so much passion.

What is your view on boys in

same sex v co-ed schools?

I have taught in four very good

co-ed schools so I do not have

strong views on one system over

the other. Nevertheless, there was

some clear evidence produced

in a report by NZCER last year

that boys in boys schools in New

Zealand were doing very well

academically across the decile

range. What I would argue strongly

is that, for many boys, a single-sex school does provide a good option.

School leadership and tone,

however, are the most important

factors.

Where do you think education

will head in the next 20 years?

I think that, inevitably, learning

will become more individualised

and there will be an increasing

emphasis on the quality of

teaching. Parents will become

increasingly concerned about the

kind of education they want for

their children. But the relationship

between teacher and student

remains the essential component.

It was a brilliant English teacher

I had at Auckland Grammar by the name of Ken Trembath who

inspired me over 40 years ago and

whose influence still inspires me.

What was the last book you

read?

An Icelandic murder mystery by

Arnaldur Indridason entitled Jar

City. I am currently reading, and

thoroughly enjoying, Jan Morriss

History of the British Empire,

Farewell the Trumpets (Pax Britannica).

Whats on your iPod or music

player?

U2s Songs of Innocence, Mozarts

Greatest Hits, The Dubliners Greatest Hits.

Describe your perfect Saturday.

An early brunch with my wife at

one of Wellingtons excellent cafs,

Headmaster, Roger Moses celebrated two decades in the job in September and spoke about the impact of technology on education, the McEvedy Shield and how he would spend his ideal Saturday.

followed with a day of watching

Rugby and Football at Wellington

College, which are hopefully won

by Wellington College. In the

evening, our grandchildren come

to stay for the night. Once they

are in bed, what better way to

conclude the day than by watching

the Hurricanes on a roll. My wife

may have some disagreement with

the above suggestions.

If you could invite any four

people, living or dead to dinner,

who would they be and why?

CS Lewis, whose writing has had a

profound impact on the way I see

the world; John Arlott, the greatest

commentator in the history of

Cricket and long-time wine

correspondent for The Guardian;

Michael Pallin, in the words of my

Deputy Principal, surely the most

interesting dinner guest anyone

could ever have; and Cyril Moses,

my grandfather who died before I

was born and fought in the Battle

of the Somme and Passchendaele.

A century later, I would love to

seek his perspective on how the

senseless slaughter to which he

was exposed affected his life.

Interview: Dominion Post

News from the College: ACADEMIC and COMMUNITY

2014 Co-Dux, Joshua Woolley was one of only ten in the country to win a

top scholarship award, and was also the only Wellington student to have picked up a Premier New Zealand Scholarship for 2015.

Joshua's accolade came

after gaining an Outstanding

Scholarship in Biology,

Calculus and Physics and

Scholarship in Accounting,

Chemistry and Statistics.

For his efforts, he will receive $10,000 for three years, during

his study of engineering at

Auckland University.

Wellington College

Headmaster, Roger Moses

said he was proud of Joshua,

who was a hard-working

and modest student. It is an

extremely good effort to make it into the top 10.

This was the third successive

year in which a student from

the College had won the top

honour.

Our students once again

performed extremely well in

Head Prefect, George Barton won a trip to Gallipoli for the ANZAC Celebrations.

George was our representative in

the RSA Cyril Basset VC Speech

competition - an annual speech

competition open to Y12 and Y13 students throughout the country. Students were invited to

speak on the broad topic of New

Zealanders in WWI.

In wining the competition, George

travelled to Wanganui and won

the Central and Lower North

Island Regional Competition with

twelve competitors from the

region.

George spoke about the qualities

of leadership that emerge in a

war situation and how it is for

these qualities that we remember

people. He used as an example,

Lord Freyberg, the seventh

Governor General of NZ, and an

Old Boy of Wellington College,

who at Gallipoli, swam ashore

from his troop ship in the Gulf of

PREMIER SCHOLAR AWARD

the NZ Scholarship examinations

without quite reaching the

stellar heights of 2013. The 109

scholarships gained, places us

once again in the top few schools

in the country.

Five other students including

Jack Trevella, Daniel Petrovic,

Jazz Kane, Jonathan Logan and

Alexander McLachlan, were

named as Outstanding Scholars,

which means that they were all in

the next 50 students nationally.

Thus, to have 10% of the best 60

students coming from Wellington

College is a truly superb result.

We are proud of the fact that,

during the past five years, we have had more students win

scholarships than any other school

in the country.

Saros and once ashore, he began

lighting flares so as to distract the defending Turkish forces from

the real landings taking place at

Gallipoli. He used this example

to look to the future and examine

what we learn from war.

Usually the national winner, as

part of their prize, wins a trip to

Gallipoli, but because 2015 was

the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli,

the eight regional winners all

went. George travelled with a

group of 25 Youth Ambassadors and as part of the NZ Defence

Force contingent went to Turkey

and to Gallipoli where he spent

two weeks, including the night

prior to ANZAC Day on the

Gallipoli Peninsula. In addition, as

part of his prize, George won an

iPhone and $1000 for himself and

$1000 for the College.

George is also the leader of the

Wellington College Chorale

and the grandson of the late Dr

George Barton, QC.

SPEECH-MAKER EARNS TRIP TO GALLIPOLI

RUNATHON CONTINUES TO ENGAGE STUDENTS

Now in its 17th year, the 40 Hour World Vision Runathon continues to

engage the entire student body with the students running around the

College circuit for 40 hours while being sponsored for each lap. The

students raised over $50,000 for the people of Ibwera, Tanzania.

1110


News from the College: THE ARTS

Much has happened in the

Wellington College Arts

scene this year, with early on, our two entries into the Sheilah Winn Shakespeare

Festival; where excerpts from Julius Caesar and The

Winters Tale, winning special performance awards.

Junior and Senior Drama once

again entertained and impressed

their audiences and as usual

both were written, directed and

produced by students. Senior

Drama's In Limbo, had the added

challenge of being performed in

the Girvan Library technically

and artistically very tricky but

the reaction of the overflowing audience on closing night

confirmed that the cast and crew more than met the challenges of

site-specific drama.

The combined Wellington

College and Wellington Girls'

College Kapa Haka group Te

Haeata Awatea has represented

the College superbly this

year, welcoming international

sports teams to New Zealand

and manuhiri to our school. In

Term One, the group welcomed

the English World Cup Cricket

team into the capital and this

received lots of media coverage.

Term Two began with a massed

Haka performed by students

from many different Wellington secondary schools to honour

the 100th anniversary of ANZAC

Day. It was a huge event and the

conclusion to the amazing parade

organised by Peter Jackson. The

biggest highlight was the FIFA U20

World Cup team welcome at the

Wellington Airport for Panama,

Austria, Argentina and Ghana.

However the main goal for the year

was to perform at the Regional

Secondary Schools' Competition,

which was achieved and once

again Wellington College and

Wellington Girls' College were

seen on the Kapa Haka stage at

the regional competition level.

At the end of 2014, the Polynesian

Club also set a goal - to perform

as a Tu Tangata school once

again. 2015 marked Wellington

Colleges return to the annual Tu

Tangata festival after a five year hiatus. 35 students from years 9-13

performed in the festival.

Their performance showcased a

variety of items inspired from the

islands of Samoa, Tonga, Tokelau,

Niue and Fiji, with an added spice

of 'Kiwiana'. The group made their

mark on the festival, setting high

expectations and a solid platform

for the future. The group was a

real hit when they performed a

set to close the Foundation Black

and Gold Awards.

Debating has continued to

flourish. We have always had the numbers and an excellent

Debating community, run largely

by the senior debaters who

are generous with their time,

coaching and mentoring but its

been a year or two since we won

a competition. The Premier B

team changed that this year with

their outstanding and decisive

win against St Patrick's (Town)

in the finals in the Debating Chamber at Parliament.

Music continues to be an integral

part of school events from Rock

Band performances in Assembly

to representation at formal events

in the community. As a school,

we are so fortunate to be able

to enjoy excellent performances

and there is genuine recognition

and appreciation of the talent of

our musicians in the student body.

The fact that there were Twelve

Blues awarded for Music this

year, for national representation -

indicates the high calibre of Music

at Wellington College.

The Chorale were outstanding

ambassadors for the College

on their international concert

tour to China in collaboration

with Wellington East Girls

College. At the Regionals Big

Sing, they received two Best

Performance awards and at the

National Competition, gained

a Silver award and one of four

Best Performance trophies for

their highest marks in the New

Zealand music category.

2015 has seen the Chorale have

its most successful and rewarding

year since its first year as a national representative Choir in

2006 and were worthy recipients

of the College's Arts Group of the

Year for 2015..

The Jazz Band has been a

welcome and much enjoyed part

of a number of events this year

and began what has been a great

year by winning a Gold Award at

The Tauranga Jazz Festival then

they went on to be named as the

Best Big Band at the Manawatu

Jazz Festival, where a number of

members won individual awards.

There were two Blues awarded

this year for Dance an indication

of a developing talent and this

was also a Stage Challenge year.

Created, directed and produced

by the students, 90 students

presented a compelling Stage

Challenge dance portrayal of the

descent into chaos that occurs

when boys are left to their own

devices. The story, loosely related

to The Lord of the Flies, was

conveyed with skill, enthusiasm,

humour and enormous energy.

It was a powerful and popular

performance that gained the

students third place.

All of this talent and enthusiasm

for the Arts contributed to

our most successful Cultural

Extravaganza yet combined

with Wellington Girls' College

a fantastic showcase of Music,

Dance, Kapa Haka and Polynesian

Club performances were enjoyed

by an audience of over 1200.

So it has been a great year and

our high level of involvement,

success and commitment to Arts

has been noted in the national

Arts community. In an exciting

News from the College: THE ARTS

development and being aware

of our reputation in the Arts, the

Arts Foundation of New Zealand

has chosen Wellington College

as a pilot school - the only North

Island school to be involved,

to launch a Core partnership

programme that will see NZ Arts

Laureates Arts practitioners

at the top of their respective

fields, working alongside our senior students as mentors and

facilitators. The programme,

which will kick in for 2016 was

launched in the Brierley Theatre

with Arts Laureates such as the

well-known photographer Anne

Noble, presenting to senior

students. The Arts Laureate

of most interest was Old Boy,

Arthur Meek (1995-1999) - now an

acclaimed actor, film maker and playwright, fresh from New York where he performed his own one

man show.

The other exciting development

is of course the new and eagerly

awaited Memorial Hall and

Performing Arts Centre. This

has been a massive community

effort but I would personally like to add my thanks to Tony

Robinson whose support of

the Arts has been fantastic and

whose affirmation of all we do on the Wellington College stage,

and belief that we deserve a fine performance space has been

unwavering.

The extracurricular Arts scene

is thriving and with these new

developments and with the

students enthusiasm and talent,

and the staff commitment to the programme, we expect things to

SUCCESS FOR KIP CLEVERLEY

Kip was awarded the College's Senior Student Arts Prize for 2015, recognising his

outstanding efforts in Music. Kip, who plays the trumpet, is a

member of the National Youth Orchestra . He also plays in the

Wellington Brass Band, which

won the Australian Brass Band

Championships earlier in the

year and more recently won

the New Zealand Brass Band

title at the National Brass Band

Championships in Rotorua. Also in the championships, Kip won the

Individual Junior (U19) Cornet title which allowed him to compete

for the Champion of Champions (U19) title and this included all

instrument categories. He won this title as well.

For the past five years, Kip as been the College's soloist at the College's ANZAC Services, playing the Last Post and Reveille.

go from strength to strength.

Kirsty Hazledine, Arts Director

Arts Group of the Year: The Chorale

The Combined Kapa Haka group: Te Haeata Awatea

The Combined Polynesian Club

Wellington College's Stage Challenge Entry

The Combined Choirs at the Cultural Extravaganza

1312


News from the College: SPORT

Over 70% of students are involved in sport in one way or another and this reiterates the fact that Wellington College Sport is very much more than the just the elite who are performing at the

highest level.

There are the 100 plus student coaches across the codes as well

as parents and whanau who are involved in coaching, managing or

administering. Also, there are the 18 Old Boys who are committed to

ensuring our provision of sport.

29 members of staff provide the icing on the cake to ensure that our students really do have the opportunity to experience a positive

experience on the field, in the gym or in the pool.

Success can and should be measured in winning but I firmly believe that the manner that we do this is important. Respecting the

opposition, the officials and above all, coaches and team mates are important lessons that students experience and I have no doubt that

this serves our young men well out in the real world.

The year began well with a superb effort from Chris Wells (1971-1975) team in the McEvedy Shield. Going in as underdogs, it soon became

apparent we had a chance. Winning all four javelin titles was a highlight

but it was the fact that we had depth across all events made this a

real team effort. Other results worth mentioning were the two records broken by Dylan Lynch in the U14 3000m (9:48.24s) and Cam Robinson

in the U15 Javelin (46.93m).

As Chris Wells said, Our challenge is now to work out how we can

ensure the Shield stays in our trophy cabinet. With a number of our senior

athletes still Y12 and with great depth in our younger age groups, we

should look to the future with real excitement.

Our Rowers had a superb season, taking out the Wellington Champs

- the McLaughlan Shield early on, finishing second equal in Boys Schools at the NISS Champs before finishing second equal at

the Maadi Cup. They won Gold in the U16 Quad, Silver in the U18

Lightweight Double, as well as two more Bronze placings. Of the 16

Man Senior squad, [pictured below] all but one pair made A finals (they made nine A finals and three B finals). The squad were worthy recipients of Wellington College's Sports Team of the Year for 2015.

In the other two traditional summer sports, Cricket and Tennis saw

success for our teams. The 1st XI Cricket had two comprehensive

victories in Traditionals versus Palmerston North Boys' High School

and Wanganui Collegiate. The latter was remarkable in that it provided

three new names for the Honours Board - Christian Martin was 119 not

out and Jordan Herdman was 113 not out, joined by James Hartshorn

who took 7/43. Wellington College won by an innings and 116 runs.

While they did not make the Gillette Cup finals, the U15 team, playing in the Junior equivalent of the NZCT Trophy, went through to finish second nationally. This was an outstanding effort which bodes well for the future.

The Senior Tennis team too failed to qualify for Nationals but we saw a

WC 1 and 2 finish in the College Sport Wellington singles tournament with Rory Murchland (Y12) beating Isaac Becroft (Y10) in the final The team did however perform well in winning the 38th Quad Tennis

Tournament held this year in Auckland with comprehensive wins

over Auckland Grammar School, Hamilton Boys' High School and

Palmerston North Boys' High School. The team only dropped four

matches out of the 27 played in an outstanding effort against good

competition.

The fastest growing sport of Futsal (a version of indoor football) has

seen over 250 students play in summer and the Senior and Junior A

teams both won locally and finished third at the Nationals.

Heading into the Winter season, the major fixture on the calendar was the hosting of the 89th Quadrangular Rugby Tournament. Playing

Christ's College first up, Wellington College won 36-8. The final against Nelson College proved to be a highly competitive but low scoring

affair with Nelson edging out the home team 6-3. Disappointment was certainly felt but at the end of the day Nelson were the better team on

the day.

The season proved to be a tough one for the 1st XV but it will be a

lesson well learnt for the young team and they finished in the Top 4 locally which ensure that they maintain an important presence in the

preseason Hurricanes competition. Two teams (U80 and U65A) made

the local finals but unfortunately did not win.

Football continues to grow in popularity with 34 teams and nearly 350

students playing. The 1st XI, now being coached by Old Boy James

Webb (1995-1999) grew in stature as the season went on, finishing second locally but more importantly fifth at NZSS Champs. Here they took the scalps of Mount Albert Grammar School, Westlake Boys'

High School and Auckland Grammar School. These were great results.

Apart from the nine teams that won their respective leagues, the 15/1

team (Colts) went through the season unbeaten and won the inaugural

Westlake Invitational Tournament. The future indeed looks bright at the

top level.

Cross-Country has a strong tradition at Wellington College and there is

a young cohort coming through which has the potential to regain those

past glories. At the NZSS Championships, the U16 team which has

been dominant all season, went on to win both the three-and-six-to-

count. The Seniors also did exceptionally well in a strong field to take out Bronze in the six-to-count.

The 1st XI Hockey team continues to maintain its presence as a top

local and national competitor. They won all their Traditionals, finished second in the Wellington competition and were eighth at the Nationals,

thereby maintaining their position in the Rankin Cup for next year.

For the first time in five years, the Senior A Basketball team qualified for the Nationals but arguably the performance of the season was the

Senior B winning Division 1 and the Bill Eldridge Trophy.

The Senior A Underwater Hockey team dominated the local

competition to win the CSW Senior Championships and the Central

Regional Championships. Going through to the NZSS Championships,

they made the final to eventually go down 3-2 to Mairehau High School in a pulsating final.

Swimming, the one sport which covers both summer and winter,

once again proved to be very strong at Wellington College. Under the

leadership of Martin Vaughan who has convened Swimming since

1983, our boys were unbeaten locally and finished third at the NZSS Champs.

We have also seen success in Orienteering where George Englebeck

(Y12) and Joseph Lynch (Y11) both won NZ titles and in Floorball (Indoor Hockey) where the U15s are National Champions.

34 students have either represented New Zealand or won a national

title and the following students were presented with Wellington

College Blues for being selected at NZSS level (U19) or above. These

are certainly the ones to watch for in the next few years.

Isaac Anderson NZ U20 Ultimate Frisbee team

Utu Ah Kuoi NZ Senior Men's AFL team

Devlin Forsythe NZ U19 Swimming Champion

Seb Hamilton NZ U20 Ultimate Frisbee team

Kemara Hauiti-Parapa NZSS Rugby Team

Theo Moore NZ U20 Ultimate Frisbee team

Ben Paviour-Smith NZ U19 Underwater Hockey team

Luc Saker NZ Senior Men's Futsal team

George Sanders NZ U20 Climbing Champion Representative

Callum Treweek-Stephen NZ U20 Ultimate Frisbee team

Finally at the recent Wellington College Foundation Black and Gold

Awards for 2015, the following awards were presented:

Junior Sportsman of the Year: Naitoa Ah KuoiLiterally a huge talent, Naitoa continues to

excel at several sports. In AFL, he played for

the NZ U16 team which travelled to Australia

and also played the Victorian team here in

Wellington.

He completed his second year in the

Wellington College 1st XV team, cementing

a starting position and being named MVP

of the team at the end of the season. He

was also member of the Wellington U16 Rep team which won the

Hurricanes Region Tournament. Naitoa won Player of the Tournament.

He was also member of the Senior A Volleyball team and the winning

McEvedy Shield team.

Senior Sportsman of the Year: Luc SakerCaptain of the Senior A Futsal team, Luc

won the WC Senior Player of the Year for the second year in succession. A member of the

Wellington U19 and Senior Men's teams, he

was selected for the NZ Mens team (Futsal

Whites), playing four tests in July scoring

two goals. Luc was the youngest player in

the team. He coached our Junior A team

which came third at the NZSS Nationals and

also coached the Wellington U12 Rep team.

Luc is also a member of our 1st XI Football team, winning the Most

Valuable Player Award and at the NZSS Championships, was named

Wellington College Player of Tournament by opposition coaches.

Dave Keat, Sports Director

Joint McEvedy Captains, Robbie and Harry Delany hold the coveted Trophy

Sports Team of the Year: the Maadi Rowing Squad

News from the College: SPORT

1514


Wellington Colleges ANZAC Service

Both visitors and the College community would not have been able to miss the

lengthy rows of crosses set in the gardens at the start of the

school drive near the entry to Government House leading up to ANZAC Day.

The named crosses represented

Old Boys killed at Gallipoli in 1915

and as well as those killed on the

Western Front in 1916.

For all those who attended,

Wellington Colleges 2015 ANZAC

Service held on Friday, 24 April

was a moving experience. Nine

Old Boys who have served or

currently serve in the defence

force were present. As part of the

service, Deputy Principal, Robert

Anderson, recounted the life of

Ted Reynolds the first Old Boy to lose his life in WWII.

Roger Howard, with his wife Anne

and daughter Charlotte are the

parents and sister of Private Jack

Howard, (Class of 2004). Roger

spoke movingly about his son

Jack who was killed in December,

2010 while serving in Afghanistan

with the British Parachute

Regiment. Roger attributed with

appreciation, the firm foundation that Wellington College had

given to Jack in his formative

years.

During the service, Y13 student William Pereira gave a rendition

of Epitaph. Y11 student, Michael McKenzie played The Battle of

the Somme on the bagpipes

while the three Deputy

Head Prefects moved

to lay a wreath at the foot

of the Memorial Window.

The service concluded with Kip

Cleverley playing the traditional

Last Post and Reveille.

A plaque to honour Jack as one

of our fallen, was unveiled by

the family at the back of the

Memorial Hall, now alongside

those who died in the Boer War

and both WWI and WWII.

Lieutenant Matt Singleton and Lieutenant Tama Wawatai, (both Class

of 2004), stand in front of fellow classmate, Jack Howard's plaque

which was unveiled at the ANZAC Service.

Old Boys at the ANZAC Service included Stu Filo, Class of 1994 (Retired), Lieutenant Matt Singleton, Malcolm Faulls, Class of 1951 (Retired),

Steve Phillips, Class of 1956 (Retired), Captain James Martin, Class of 2002, Major Scott Cordwell, Class of 1991, Steve Taylor, Class of 1965 (Re-

tired),

Lieutenant Tama Wawatai and Lieutenant Sione Stanley, Class of 2002.

Prefect, Hamish Ware and Deputy Head Prefects, Tom Schuyt, Adam

Blackwell and James Hartshorn.

As final assessments are handed in and the end of

my five years at Wellington College draws nigh, Ive been remembering. This year has

a poignant highlight whose

memories are etched forever in

my life story.

I was part of the Europe Study

Tour at the end of Term Two,

arriving at Canakkale Turkey

on 28 June. There, on the once

bloodied grounds of Gallipoli, we

remembered the fallen, including

our Old Boys with a resounding

Haka at Chunuk Bair. We paid

our respects at Quinns Post and

Lone Pine, and we walked along

the beach at ANZAC Cove. There,

I was struck by how small New

Zealand is, and how fortunate

we were to be in that beautiful

country with its civilisation and

culture so awe inspiring and

ancient, on the cusp of two great

continents. I couldnt help but feel

that those who gave their lives

so long ago would, transposed

to another time, have found that

renowned intrepid Kiwi spirit

to enjoy this Turkey of cruising

on the Bosphorus, reflecting in the divine Blue Mosque, and

haggling in the colourful markets.

From Turkey we traversed to

Italy. We remembered the NZ

Battalion at Monte Casino.

Then came Germany with its

harshest of reminders, taking an

emotional toll on me when visiting

the Sachsenhausen Concentration

Camp Memorial and Museum.

There, I took no photos.

Then onward to France and

the Western Front where we

remembered them in the Somme.

Rows upon rows of gravestones

stood guard at the largest

commonwealth cemetery in Tyne

Cot where it was strange to see

the occasional German grave.

We stopped to remember at a

number of cemeteries where

some touring students had

relatives buried.

Le Quesnoy was a town we

visited that has immortalised the

Kiwis who liberated it in 1918, with

a New Zealand Memorial and

streets with Kiwi names.

In Belgium, with its pervading

smell of chocolates, we

remembered two felled College

Old Boys at Cite Bonjean

Cemetery. The blood red poppies

in Flanders Fields reminded us

again.

Amidst the homage we paid

to the fallen, we did the usual

touristy things.

There was the Haka to the

Australians in the ancient city of

Troy. The paintings at the Sistine

Chapel were simply breathtaking.

The amazing Colosseum in the

40-degree Roman heat was

a challenge. An evening ice-

cream at the Spanish Steps was

decidedly cooler.

We missed German Chancellor,

Angela Merkel at the Reichstag

which had a magnificent view of the once divided city. The mighty

Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin

Wall gave us pause.

In Paris I was agog at the Arc

de Triomphe and Notre Dame

Cathedral. I had my caricature

done at The Artists Quarter at

Montmartre, and yes I took a

selfie atop the Eiffel Tower.Mr Patrick Smith, I shall always

remember visiting Jim Morrisons

Grave with you.

We arrived home on 17 July via

Universal Studios in Singapore.

Messrs Anderson, Bergin, Smith

thank you, sirs. Mesdames

Meronek and Tornquist - merci

beaucoup!

Now as I run through my College

years and look forward to

University, and contemplate my

final walk down the school drive in my blazer and tie, I think about

our schools upcoming 150th

Anniversary.

I reflect on the impact the two wars had on the Wellington

College family, and now these

words from our school song mean

more than ever.

You kindled courage to stand

and to stay;

You led our fathers to fight for the nation,

Called Follow up and yourself

showed the way.

We who were born in the calm

after thunder

Cherish our freedom to think

and to do;

If in our turn we forgetfully

wonder,

Yet well remember

we owe it to you.

E noho ra

Kaspar Flaws, Y13

2015 Study Tour to Europe

The Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing is a War Memorial in Ypres, Belgium, dedicated to the British and Commonwealth soldiers who were killed in the Ypres. (L-R): Pierce Day, Devlin Forsythe, Harry Russon and Louis Stevens.

Alistair Gordon gives his reflections at Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp. The College Haka at Chunuk Bair.

1716


Memories of a Young ManThe address given by Jack Howards father, Roger Howard at the 2015 ANZAC Service.

Eleven years ago, a Y13 boy sat where youre sitting now. There was nothing particularly

remarkable about him. He wasnt

a Prefect, nor was he in the 1st XV.

He wasnt going to be Dux.

But in six years he would be

dead, killed in Afghanistan on his

second tour. His name was Jack

Howard and he was my son.

Let me tell you his story.

Jack was born not far from here,

in Wellington Hospital, on Good

Friday 1987. Apart from two years

in Singapore when he was small,

he grew up in Newtown.

His introduction to formal learning

was not entirely successful. At

Wellington South Kindergarten, he

was more interested in climbing

the trees in the playground. The

fact that he could out-climb his

kindy teachers no doubt explained

why he could neither write his

name nor count to ten when he

started at Kilbirnie School.

Jack spent four years at Kilbirnie

before we moved him to St

Marks School. We had become

concerned that he was far from

a model pupil, attracted more

towards the school hoods than

the school scholars. We thought

he needed a more disciplined

environment.

St Marks certainly needed most

of the four years they had Jack

for. A good portion of his time was

spent, not in the classroom but

outside in the corridor. But in Y7, he discovered Drama and found

that there were better ways to

seek the recognition of his peers.

Jack started at Wellington

College in 2000. If I could have

asked him how to approach what

to say today, he would no doubt

have said depends what the next period is. If its maths, spin it out; if

its history or drama, keep it short.

At College, Jack

developed a great love

of Shakespeare. I

remember him lying

on his bed reading

Shakespeare for

pleasure. And under

the guiding hand of

Jan McLean, Jack

pursued his love of

acting, appearing

in three school

productions Othello,

Midsummers Night Dream

and Richard III.

In his final year at College, Jack was seriously contemplating an

acting career when he suddenly

decided to try for a commission in

the NZ Army. Hed always had an

interest in the military and in his

first year at College joined the Air Training Corps.

Failing the Officer Selection Board, he said at the time, that

was the worst day of his life. But

years later, he was to reflect that at the time he was just an

immature smartarse.

Instead, Jack joined the

Territorials and headed off to Victoria University, but university

never really engaged him.

Although the warning signs were

there when he didnt wake up

in time for one of his university

exams. We were not prepared for

his announcement that he would

not be returning to university

the following year. Instead he

intended to join The Parachute

Regiment Their recruiting

slogan had been

effective: Are you good enough?

Jack decided

to take up their

challenge.

He purchased a

one way ticket

to London and

ended up getting

a job as a kitchen

hand at Ludgrove,

a prep school that

Prince William

and Prince Harry had

attended. Its attraction,

however, was that

it boasted large

grounds and an

indoor pool, ideal

for training for the

Para preselection

course.

The job interview

had been conducted

over the phone by the

Matron who told him her

husband would pick him up from

the nearby railway station. What

do you do? Jack asked him on

the way back to the school? Im

the Headmaster, he replied, in

just three words dispelling Jacks

preconceptions of the British

class system.

Passing the preselection course,

Jack commenced 28 weeks

basic training at Catterick in

North Yorkshire. It culminated in Pegasus or P Company - a

final five-day selection course required for entry into The

Parachute Regiment. As he put

it in an email home the night

before, I am about to begin the

hardest and most emotional five days of my life so far.

Of the 61 who started, Jack was

one of only 14 to pass and go on

to receive the coveted maroon

beret of The Parachute Regiment.

He was posted to the Regiments

3rd Battalion. At his passing out

parade, the reviewing officer asked him where he was from:

New Zealand, Sir.

And what did

you do

before you joined

the

Army?

I was at university,

Sir.

What were you

reading?

Psychology,

philosophy and

religious studies,

Sir.

Well Im sure you will find them most useful in 3

PARA.

As he was soon to discover, the

soldiers of 3 PARA, or the Grungy

Third as it is known, were from

all walks of life. Jacks platoon

included both those who had

graduated from university and

those who had graduated from

prison.

Four months later, Jack deployed

with 3 PARA to Afghanistan. And

so began a series of descriptive,

considered, and lengthy emailed

reports on his experiences.

For the first three months, he wrote of great plans turning

into great disappointments; of

endless patrolling with no sign

of the enemy; carrying 80lb

loads of ammunition and water;

of not showering for a month; all

horrendously boring to young

men on their first tour. But it was not without its lighter moments.

On his first operation his unit, having cleared a town, rented

several compounds. His platoon,

he wrote, had the good fortune

of being allocated a drug dealer:

Our section room had a massive

sack of something dodgy that

several guys immediately claimed

was 'black squidgy' with a street

value of about 600,000 in the

UK. The room stank of it and soon

so did we. When the time came to

move on we made our own small

contribution to the war on drugs

by pouring a load of black squidgy

into the burns pit and hung

around for the aroma. The platoon

commander never clicked on to

why we wouldn't stop giggling.

Finally, in June he reports on his

first full blown contact. By then he had become the platoon

signaller: Ill never forget that

feeling standing on the top [of the

ridge] and silhouetting myself [as] I

Above: Jack Howard in his final year at College.

Left: Jack in his PARA Uniform

Private Jack Howard (2000-2004)

British Army, Brigade

Reconnaissance Force, Parachute

Regiment, 3rd Battalion

1987-2010

Memories of a Young Manquickly drew machine gun fire. The whizzing of bullets around me was

deafening and blinding, I felt like I

was standing in a wind tunnel or in

front of a fan after throwing gravel

into it. Absorbed in [trying to spot

the firing point], I hadnt noticed the bullets splashing sand all over

the ridge to my left and creeping

towards me as the enemy machine

gun adjusted its fire on me. I ducked into cover cursing myself

when I heard Dave screaming

ANTENNA! No wonder theyd

been aiming off on me, I had a 2m antenna over me. Dave later told

me the splashes were landing less

than a foot away when I ducked

down.

His was only one of a number of

close calls for his platoon that

day.

Two months later he experienced

his first 'Man Down' when Pte Peter Cowton of 2 PARA was fatally

wounded. He describes the scene

afterwards: Reality hit home when

we got back. Cowton's dragon

tattooed section commander sat

alone, crying silently before his

sergeant helped him up, a minimi

gunner walked past carrying

the dead lead scouts webbing.

Everyone felt awful, three of our

lads had been in Cowtons platoon

through basic training, theyd had

a brew with him the night before

and were pretty shaken up. We flew out at 1500 the next day and then waited for a 0200 flight back to Kandahar. Mentally and physically

drained I struggled to stay awake

long enough to shower for the first time in ten days. We were greeted

with the news that we will be going

straight back out for six weeks in a few days.

And so the reports continued.

More close calls, but his platoons

luck holds as does that of 3 PARA.

Back home he reflects on his first tour: Leaving Afghanistan was

as surreal as when I first arrived. I thought about what I'd done and

what I'd heard. Private Cowton's

broken body on the back of a

quad trailer; getting shot at on a

ridgeline; that guy on a 2 PARA

patrol who stood on a pressure

pad that wasn't wired properly.

His legs were snapped and he

was blasted into the air, when he

looked down to see everything was

still there no one could use their

personal radios for the next minute as he babbled BOSS, BOSS! I'VE

STILL GOT MY LEGS, BUT I'M IN A LOT OF PAIN...BOSS BOSS! I'VE...

Or the other guy who stepped on

one which was wired correctly and

hearing it click had time to swear

before he vanished into pink mist.

The only thing that's really

changed in me is my memories

and even now I'm starting to forget

the boredom we suffered. But it won't really be over until the guys

I went through depot with in 2

PARA come back, alive. Although

I'll always maintain 3 is vastly

superior to 2 PARA they really

have had a rough tour. They've

lost about 13-14 badged members

as well as several attachments.

Include the wounded (some now

legless) and the odds are [shorter] than 1 in 10 for their battalion.

Back in the UK after a spell of

well-earned leave, 3 PARA begin

the training cycle building up

for their next tour in 2010. There

are deployments to Norway and

Kenya. Jack spends a month in

California with the Red Devils,

The Parachute Regiments display

team. And he jumps on Normandy

and Arnhem in the footsteps of his

predecessors 65 years earlier. In

one of those ironies of history, at

Arnhem they jump with German

parachutes and dispatchers which

qualified him to wear German airborne wings.

In July 2010, Jack was selected

to serve with the Pathfinders, the Parachute Regiments Brigade

reconnaissance force and Special

Forces in all but name.

He deploys with them to

Afghanistan in September 2010

on a positive note: The last two

months have been the best in my

life. A month back home, some

decent training, sun and beaches

in Ibiza, ridiculous nights out in

Blackpool and awesome times

with my mates. Just what I needed

before going back to the war.

In an interview after his first deployment, Jack said: Ive always

had this intrinsic belief that I am

lucky. When I look back and reflect [on various incidents during my

last tour] I realise [there] was one

of my nine lives gone.

And as his emails from his second

tour revealed all too clearly, he

was using up those nine lives.

The last time I spoke to him

was via a satellite phone from

goodness knows where. He

sounded flat. Whats wrong? I asked. John got hit the other day,

he said. Their section had been

pursuing some insurgents up a

wadi when they were ambushed.

A round had entered his section

commanders little finger and exited his elbow. Leaving his section to fight the battle, Cpl John Broadhead applied his own

field dressing, chose not to use his morphine in case it clouded

his judgment, and made his own

way back to their patrol base 2km

away, carrying his pack as well as

his rifle.

Such are the men who wear the

maroon beret.

Not long afterwards, Jack

returned from operation to

discover a round had gone

through his backpack.

A week later, Jacks section

was poised to attack an enemy

position, having already fought

and overcome two others that

day, when he received the good

news, as the Paras say. His luck

had finally run out.

The United Kingdoms Secretary

of State for Defence, Dr Liam Fox,

concluded Jacks official obituary by saying: It is clear to me from the

tributes paid to him that Private

Jack Howard was an immensely

well liked soldier and an

exceptionally gifted Paratrooper.That he chose to leave his native

New Zealand to join the British

Army to fight for the freedoms we all enjoy across the world speaks

to his drive and determination.

But these attributes didnt appear

out of nowhere. In large measure,

Jack was a product of this school

where he spent nearly a quarter

of his life, some of his most

formative years. The Headmaster

might not have picked him

up from the railway station,

but I am sure that if Jack had

thought about it, he would have

acknowledged the role played

by Roger Moses and his staff in shaping him into the man Liam

Fox spoke about.

And it is right that we, his family,

formally acknowledge that, here,

in this place, on this occasion.

But what would Jack want me to

say to you guys? I think it would

be this: Do not be afraid to dream,

And pursue those dreams with

quiet determination.

Whatever your field of endeavour,do not be afraid to measure

yourself against the best.

Be sincere in your friendships,

And keep those friendships in

good repair.

Hold true to your values.

Be your own man.

1918


Alexander McColl (1908-1909) was one of 223 Wellington College Old Boys killed during WWI. A talented sportsman, he had been a member of the 1st

XV in 1909 and a champion rower.

Like many of his schoolmates, he was quick to enlist

when the war broke out. He landed at Gallipoli with the

Wellington Battalion in April 1915 and took part in much of the heavy fighting on the Peninsula. He was wounded but returned to active service and was present

at the evacuation in December 1915. By 1916, Alex was in France with the 1st

Battalion, The Wellington Regiment. On 1 July, he wrote to his mother, excited at

the prospect of leading a raid on the German lines.

France. July 1, 1916

My Dearest Mother,

Just a small note in case I should be incapacitated for a few days or so. Today is

a red letter day in my history as I am taking out a raiding party against the huns.

I have been down here with my party for a few days and everything is working

beautifully. If we dont give the Boche the biggest hiding he has ever received it will

not be our fault.

I suppose you think it rather strange that I, as an Adjutant, should be selected for

this job. I am really the luckiest of men to have got the chance. In the first place, all subalterns were selected for the job, but through a most unfortunate bombing

accident, two of these were killed. Captain Nareby was next thought of but soon after he went back to England with appendicitis. As we are awfully short of Officers at present, there was no one left with the necessary experience and stamina to take the party.

I know that the Colonel did not like me going but his hands are tied and personally

I consider myself the luckiest of men to have the opportunity of leading such a

splendid body of men that I have under me.

They are all trained like fighting cocks. I have been at Football etc for the last few weeks. I have most of the old Football team here including some very well known

reps, just the boys for this game.

Am feeling absolutely confident, so please, dear mother, do not worry about me. I am quite sure you would not have me do otherwise, especially if you saw how

pleased the men were when they found I was coming down.

I have received several of your lovely letters lately, written as only you know how

to write them. I am quite excited about the improvements to the house and would dearly like to see them. I would love to fit into my old place at home once more.

Best love to all the girls and many thanks for their letters. Tell Dad I am trying to

keep his good name untarnished. Received a lovely birthday parcel a few days ago.

All my love and good wishes. Ever your loving son, Alex

Captain Adjutant, Alex McColl was killed in France on 2 July, 1915 aged 24. Leading a successful trench-raid the evening before, he was anxious for the same removal of his wounded and went back out to look for them, becoming wounded himself, dying of his wounds. His grave is in the Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France.

ANZAC STORIES

A Last Letter HomeA fine scholar and sportsman, Douglas (Dougie) Harle (1908-1911) was one of Wellington College's outstanding students in the years immediately before the

war. Dougie, a 24-year-old Second Lieutenant in the Canterbury Infantry

Regiment, was killed during the successful attack on

Gravenstafel Spur on 4 October, 1917. A fellow officer reported that he showed great dash and initiative in

leading his men against an enemy machine-gun post in

a farm building. He was killed just as the position was

practically taken'. Dougie was buried in the Dochy Farm

Cemetery. The surrounding landscape today is a far cry

from the wasteland of 1917. Back then it was a sea of mud,

pock-marked by shell holes that quickly filled with water and became graves for many men.

His school reports highlight a young man of outstanding

character: Prefect, top scholar, talented gymnast and

Lightweight Boxing Champion; in 1911, he was also Dux.

Dougie completed a law degree at Victoria University

College before being accepted for military service, at the

second attempt, in early 1916. He was commissioned as an

Officer.

Shortly before the Battle of

Passchendaele, Dougie and two old

school friends, Norman Shrimpton

[pictured left] (1911-1915) and Ken

Luke [pictured below] (1905-1906),

went on leave to Boulogne. For many

New Zealanders, the war was a great

adventure. The very real possibility

of being killed or maimed was often pushed to the back

of the mind as these young men lapped up their first taste of overseas travel. The opportunity to visit places such

as Boulogne, with its famous port and Roman-walled old

town, was one of the reasons these old school friends had

enlisted in the first place. The food, wine, sights and smells would have been a welcome diversion for young men who

were about to participate in what has been described as

New Zealands greatest disaster.

Ken Luke was the only one of the

three friends to survive the war.

Norman Shrimpton was killed in 1918

and is also buried in Belgium. Ken

returned to Wellington and became

Civil Engineer. He was responsible

for designing and building the iconic

Wellington landmark, the Band

Rotunda at Oriental Bay.

Friends to the End WWI Fundraising

Students at Wellington

College raised 2945 for patriotic funds during

the War, in part by growing vegetables. This sum amounts to more than $300,000 in

todays money. Fundraising

also began in 1916 for a School

Memorial Hall. This opened

in March 1928, thanks to a

donation of 6000 from the

Old Boys Association.

Voluntary cadet groups existed in many schools prior to 1909, when the Defence Act introduced compulsory military training. This act required

nearly all boys aged between 12 and 14 to undergo 52 hours of physical

training each year as Junior Cadets. Initially, this training was supervised by

their teachers.

A School Rifle Volunteer Cadet Corps had been established at Wellington College in 1870, and school cadets were to remain an integral part of life

at the school well into the 20th century. J.P. Firth, Headmaster from 1892 to

1920, placed great emphasis on the cadets and the importance of being

physically fit. Photographs of boys in the military uniform of the schools cadet corps or shooting teams make the transition from schoolboy to soldier

more plausible. Many of the more than 1600 Old Boys who served overseas

during the war had learnt to handle a gun, salute and march in formation

on the playing fields of the school. Students were even awarded merit certificates in bayonet instruction. [see image below left].

Many schoolboys were also Boy Scouts. The Boy Scout movement began

in New Zealand in 1908. While preparing boys for war is not something we

associate with the modern scouting movement, its founder, Robert Baden-

Powell, had been a lieutenant-general in the British Army. His principles of

scouting, published in Scouting for boys (1908), were based on his earlier

military books. The movement aimed to teach boys peaceful citizenship

moral values, patriotism, discipline and outdoor skills through games and

activities and to produce patriots capable of defending the British Empire.

These principles were heartily endorsed by Firth and were key ingredients in

his leadership and management of the school.

J.P. Firth knew each of the Old Boys who were killed during the war. Personal

memories would have come flooding back as he wrote letters of condolence to their families. When the armistice was declared in November 1918, he

was observed standing on the steps overlooking the bottom field with tears running down his face.

WWI Masters

The Board of Governors at Wellington College topped up the military pay of teachers who enlisted to the level of their teaching salary. They were also given a

grant of 50 per year, and those commissioned before

going overseas received a further 20 for equipment.

One member of the teaching staff, PA Ongley, was killed in action at Bapaume, France, in August 1918, another Dr GV

Bogle serving with the NZMC was killed while attending

to the wounded in September, 1916 in France and JH

Goulding was killed in the trenches at Gallipoli in June,

1915. Six other members of staff were wounded including AE Caddick, AJ Cross, JR Cuddie, AW Diprose, HTM

Fathers, GW Morice, CM Taylor and OW Williams. T Brodie

survived unscathed. Two Masters, JB Mawson and OW

Williams, were awarded the Military Cross.

Left: A Certificate of Merit for Bayonet instruction,

presented to Wellington College Cadets, 1915.

GV Bogle J H Goulding PA Ongley

THE COLD HARD FACTS: Of the 1643 Old Boys, known to have served, 225 have laid down their lives and 340 have been wounded. As some of the 1643 did not actually reach the firing-lines, the fact that our casualty lists amounts to 33 / percent of the total on active service and shows to what extent our Old Boys must have shared in the 'rough and tumble' of the fighting. THE WELLINGTONIAN, 1919

ANZAC STORIES

2120


As part of the WWI

Commemorations this year, a catalogue was published by

the Royal New Zealand Navy in conjunction with Watercolours NZ Inc on the occasion of a national exhibition which featured works in watercolour and in ink by seven servicemen of the NZ Expeditionary Force and the Royal

Naval Volunteer Reserve who packed watercolour paint or pen and ink into their kitbags.

One of the artists featured was Old Boy, Lieutenant Esmond (Es) Hurworth Atkinson

RNVR (1904-1905) [1888-1941] and his story was recounted in the catalogue by his

grandson, Richmond Atkinson.

My grandfather, known as Es, was born in Wellington in 1888. His maternal grandfather

was pioneering New Zealand water-colourist J C Richmond, whose daughter, artist D K

Richmond, was an influential aunt in the lives of Es and his brother Hal and two sisters.

When Es was seven years old, the family moved to 'Rangiuru by the Sea' near Otaki, where

the children spent the next five years 'messing about in boats', and Es furthered his interest in painting and the natural world. His schooling included a spell at Wanganui Collegiate

School, later returning to Wellington College.

On leaving school, he joined the Department of Agriculture, Biological Section, and studied

towards a BSc degree. In 1916, he worked his passage to England to enlist in the Royal

Naval Volunteer Reserve. On the way he enjoyed short botanising trips ashore at Albany in

Western Australia.

In England, he married Alison Burnett, a long-time family friend, and viewed the works of

his artistic heroes, Frank Brangwyn and especially JMW Turner, while in officer training.

As a Lieutenant, he served as a signals officer, first in a seaplane carrier, Riviera, on a Mediterranean voyage, and then on the light cruiser Constance, from the deck of which he

witnessed, and later painted, the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in the Firth of Forth.

Returning to New Zealand in 1919, he transferred from the Biological Section to the

Dominion Museum as official artist, but afflicted by epilepsy, he was retired in 1932. He continued to roam back country New Zealand, often with his wife and two sons, and paint

many landscapes, until his death in 1941 from an accident resulting from his illness.

Esmond Hurworth Atkinson, Surrender of the German Fleet in the North Sea, 1919,

charcoal and watercolour on paper. Hocken Collections, University of Otago

Above: Torpedo firing 19/07/18 on board 'Constance'.

'Caroline Class' in the distance. Private Collection.

Below: American Battleships, 24/07/18.

Private Collection

ANZAC STORIES: WWI in Watercolours and Ink

William Clachan was made of tough stuff.

The Old Boy and schoolteacher

was wounded three times on

the Western Front. He twice

suffered head injuries, and on the second occasion, doctors

found the bullet which caused

his first head wounds. Each time William recovered and, after

time away from the battlefront to

recuperate, threw himself back

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