ANZAC DAY: HONOURING OLD HAILEYBURIANS WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY - Haileybury

ANZAC DAY: HONOURING OLD HAILEYBURIANS
       WHO SERVED OUR COUNTRY.
                                      Written by Shannon Wallis

 On the 25th April 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers landed on Gallipoli shores, forming
part of the expedition to capture Constantinople (now Istanbul). In this campaign alone, more than
 8000 Australian soldiers were killed, enduring extreme conditions for a period of 8 months. Since
 1916, April 25th has been recognised as the day on which we pay tribute to those who served and
  died in all military operations/wars, conflicts and peacekeeping operations. Many Haileyburians
      bravely served our country in time of war. This included WWI, WWII and other wars.

                                              WWI
Throughout the duration of the First World War, 121 Old Haileyburians courageously served. Of
    these, 22 died, some as young as 20 years of age. Many Old Boys enlisted immediately after
      graduating, at age 19, others joined 1-2 years after, ceasing their university studies and
employment. Our Old Haileyburians fought battles in Gallipoli, Egypt, France and Belgium, part
of Combat Corp such as infantry, artillery, aviation, signals and engineers. Many held the position
 of Lieutenant, with others attaining ranks such as Sergeant, Major, Captain and Corporal during
service in WWI. As recorded in “The Haileyburian” 1919, “majority of the new recruits were boys
  who just left the school; but they had the spirit of the Australian soldier; eager to do their duty”.

                                   Eric Berthon attended Haileybury from 1907-1915, going on to
                                   pursue a higher education at university, known among friends as
                                   “Bim”, Eric was “well-liked by all who knew him”. He was
                                   school captain in his final two years of schooling and devoted to
                                   his studies of Latin and Greek. Whilst a diligent scholar, Eric also
                                   was noted as a fine athlete, entering the “Eleven” in 1911,
                                   recognised by fellow students and teachers “a very reliable bat
                                   and an excellent field”. Not only excelling in cricket, Eric also
                                   captained the Eighteen, deemed to be “one of the very best ruck-
                                   men, playing persistent football” in his time. At the age of 19,
                                   he enlisted with the Artillery, sailing to England, proceeding to
                                   France a few months later. During the last stages of this effort,
                                   resulting in the signing of the armistice, Eric was wounded and
                                   died soon after, buried in Peronne. As a mark of respect to one of
                                   the highest honours of the school, and to his sorrowing parents
     GUNNER ERIC                   (Mr. and Mrs. Berthon, of which time Mr Berthon was
      BERTHON                      headmaster), all students wore a black armband for 1 week.

Richard Hazlitt enlisted in 1914, joining the 3rd
                                            infantry brigade, part of the landing at Gallipoli,
                                            where he was wounded. Hazlitt also served in Egypt,
                                            proceeding to the Western Front to become sergeant.
                                            He was killed on the 21st September 1916 aged 20.
                                            During his time at school, he was a prefect in 1911,
                                            member of the 1911 premiership team. Famous as a
                                            “high marker” in football, his
                                            peers recognised him as “very cheerful”.

     RICHARD HAZLITT

        Sutcliffe was a former Master of Haileybury. He
       enlisted in the AIF in 1915, serving in Egypt and
France on the Somme, experiencing what was deemed
      the “world’s greatest battles”. He died at Lahore in
  1918 after falling victim to the Spanish Influenza. He
        was the sports master, and under his tuition, the
        eleven and eighteen (Cricket and Football firsts)
    “made great progress”. On his leaving the school to
join the army, everyone in the Haileybury community
felt they had lost a good friend. It is recognised in The
  Haileyburian 1919, that “his high character won him
                           favour everywhere he went”.

                                                                 LIEUTENANT R.P
                                                                    SUTCLIFFE

WWII
From 1939-45, 140 Old Haileyburians served our nation in WWII. Of these brave soldiers, 18 paid
the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom 75 years on. Many Old Haileyburians served in the Royal
Australian Air Force, Second Australian Imperial force and few in the Medical Corp, fighting battles
in New Guinea, Singapore, Syria, North Africa, Malaya and Borneo. The following are short
biographies of an Old Haileybury boy, along with a story of the reunion of Old Haileybury boys in
a Prisoner Of War camp in Changi, Singapore.
JAMES R. DICKINSON
James Dickinson was the son of Headmaster Dickinson (1923-1942). He graduated from
Haileybury in 1932, going on to teach at Haileybury and Geelong College. He was school captain
in 1931,32, while also captaining the 1931 cricket and football teams. He died in 1942 during his
service in Singapore, recognised in a Singapore memorial.

DOUGLAS A. SCOTT.
Douglas Scott attended Haileybury from 1928-36. Upon reaching the age of 18, he enlisted in the
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), obtaining his commission at 19 before being sent to England,
killed during a bombing raid over Germany. Douglas was recognised as a good sportsman,
representing the school in many sports. He was considered an “excellent diver”, winner of the
diving event at the combined swim sports.

STORY OF THE REUNION OF 6 OLD HAILEYBURIANS IN CHANGI
PRISONER OF WAR CAMP.
                              After the fall of Singapore to the Japanese in 1942, 2 Melbourne
                              Haileyburians, Bill Smith and Frank Hiddlestone were sent to a
                              Prisoner of War camp in Changi. By patient discovery, Smith and
                              Hiddlestone found 4 other former Haileybury England scholars
                              living in the same camp with them.
                              On the 18th August 1945, Smith arranged to hold a school
                              reunion. Using a piece of hand crafted paper, Bill Smith drew up a
                              “menu” for a reunion with the 6 Old Boys. (See left). In the centre
                              of the page was a drawing of the Changi Prison, connected with
                              diagonal lines to the location of the Castelfield and English
                              campuses. During their informal reunion dinner, the Melbourne
                              boys produced beans, while the Englishmen submitted a tin of
                              beef they had been hoarding for 2 years. It is said that the 6 men
                              told school-day stories. So, in beans and beef, the Old Schools
A scan of the “menu” drawn up
                              were toasted and the ties that bind were strengthened.
by Bill Smith during the Old
Haileyburian reunion.

TO LIVE IN THE HEARTS OF THOSE WE LOVE
             IS NOT TO DIE
   (INSCRIPTION ON THE GRAVE OF ARNOLD DETHRIDGE - BURIED IN
                           KOKODA)

                           ANZAC DAY 2020
This year, we continued to pay our respects to those paid sacrifice for our freedoms in war.
  While traditional ceremonies and services around the nation were cancelled due to the
       Corona virus, Australians gathered together in spirit, rather than in person to
 commemorate Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. The activities of ANZAC day
   2020 may mark the commencement of new tradition, with thousands of Australians
            standing in their driveway, holding a candle in a minute’s silence.

                           In honour of those that have served,
                                LEST WE FORGET.