Those Who Served
The many names of All Saints’ Old Boys on the various Honour Boards hanging in the school dining room show us Old Bathurstians have ‘a spirit of service and self-sacrifice’ in defence of their country. From the Sudan War, 1885, right up to deployment in the Middle East today, or here at home, there have been Old Bathurstians’ and ASC staff in the military service.
The All Saints’ College archives have been given a collection of personal dossiers of all Old Bathurstians who served in the Great War, researched and copied by historian Tony Cable (ASC 1953-59). Over 200 Old Boys or members of staff served with the British or Australian Forces- nearly all of them in the A.I.F.; 34 were killed or died on service. Tony didn’t stop in his research and produced an outstanding product, namely The Anzac Project, for the Centenary in 2015, which not only gives information on those who fought at Anzac but also dossiers on all our men who gave service over the campaign. Tony’s dossier project has become a teaching resource for current and future history students. The dossiers provide much more than a list of names, as underpinning each file are selections from Personal Service Records, Reports, newspaper cuttings, photos, as well as data from their time at All Saints’, occupations, family and original documents (e.g., diaries).
The Great War was an event of crucial importance in the history of Australia and of All Saints’ College. Many Old Boys took part in the conflicts; attendance at school began to fluctuate, masters began to enlist, older boys were recalled to their farms as able men, and their fathers were at the front. Life at school became more austere, and outside activities were greatly restricted. The last football match against the old rival Cooerwull Academy was played in 1916, as it was forced to close its doors due to the effects of the war. The boys showed their unselfishness by donating proceeds of their athletic meetings to patriotic funds, and certificates were awarded in lieu of prizes, and chapel offerings were donated to the great patriotic Belgian Fund.
In 1918, word was received that one of the Old Boys, No.2631, Corporal Arthur Charles Hall, had been awarded the Victoria Cross for ‘most conspicuous bravery, brilliant leadership and devotion to duty’ during the operations at Peronne.
The unavoidable closing of the College after World War 1 took place in 1919 despite the headmaster’s singlehanded effort to keep the school afloat by taking two classes at once, extra classes before breakfast, and coaching in the evening. Numbers continued to decline, and changes in staff became increasingly frequent. The headmaster announced his resignation in June 1919.
The school reopened on the new site at Esrom on the Mt. Pleasant Rd. in 1923, by the school’s greatest benefactor, Rev.L.G.H. Watson and his deputy, C.C.F. McLeod. Both these men remained at the school for over 25 years, McLeod for the next 35 years.
Other research has been done by members of the school family, which provides information on the many from All Saints’ College alumni who have served all over the world in the armed forces. One Old Boy, Albert Emms (ASC 1925-30), Teacher, Bursar and Assistant Principal (1931-1974), also served in the RAAF 1939-1944. At the end of the war, he returned to All Saints’ and served the school for the next 30 years as Bursar and officer commanding the All Saints’ College Cadet Corps. He retired in 1974, having written the history book titled’ The School That Moved from The Hill’ for the school’s Centenary.
Albert Emms was an icon of Saints’ for all those years. As a student he became a prefect, captain of both the cricket and football, senior athletic champion and recipient of the prestigious Bean prize for efficiency at work and games and for influence on the school. After school, he was due to attend Sydney University, but with the Depression of 1929, there was to be no Arts course-he would be lucky to find a job. The headmaster suggested a stopgap. Would Emms stay on as his secretary? This led to a career that lasted over 50 years.
Albert had a dedication and commitment to the school that was unrivalled. He was involved in almost every activity of the school, yet never a man to seek the limelight. He wrote several historical publications on the school, was the secretary of the Old Bathurstians’ Association, organised many alumni reunions, and was an indispensable adviser to the various Headmasters of his time, together with his wife, Marjorie (Marsden Old Girl), who worked alongside as the headmaster’s secretary. His nickname ‘Gadget’ was well chosen as Albert could turn his hand to anything, and he was “renowned for the assortment of hardware he kept in his pockets and continually jingled”.
A final tribute to Albert Emms can be found in the 1979 Bathurstian written by Headmaster S.P. Gebhardt, the last Headmaster under whom he served. Gebhardt had written in the 1979 Bathurstian, ‘Albert Emms was the most loyal man that I had ever met.’ Another had written ‘the first face I saw at All Saints’ …. was that of Albert Emms, a very reassuring face. By the time I left, that face had for me…real significance; it was the face of the old All Saints’.
(There are still copies of Emms’ book ’The School that Moved from the Hill‘ available for the cost of postage to anyone interested. Contact connect@scotsallsaints.nsw.edu.au )
Mrs Memory Sanders
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