 June 2020 

Dan McErlean Bryan McSweeney 12 Werona Street email:[email protected] Sunnybank Qld 4109 Dear Old Boys

The next 2020 meeting of the Sub-Branch of the Toowoomba (St Mary’s) Brothers Old Boys’ Association will depend on the Medical Officer’s advice on the gathering of social groups. In the meantime, we hope you are all safe and in good health as we wait for an end to these uncertain times.

Please remember in your prayers Old Boys & Friends of the College recently deceased;

Life Member Roland Joseph Griffin (1943-1949), husband of Margaret, brother of Noel & Errol on 7/2/2020 Eric Patrick Howe, husband of Violet, brother to John, Darcy, Keith, Tom, Colin and sister Molly. Life Member Lyle Trevor Dornbusch (1945-1950), husband of Sylvia and Shirley (both deceased), brother of Elaine (decd), Grahame, Dianne and John. Father of Mark, Michele and Lucinda. Life Member Cliff Pobar (1942-1945), husband of Dawn, father of Charmaine and Kent. Daniel O’Neill, husband of Karen, father of Ben, Eaise, Zoe, Lachlan and Tarla. Roland Lowe, (Senior 1993) Agnes Brennan, wife of Martin (Toby) (decd), mother of Peter (decd), Anne, Stephen (decd), Kevin, David, Paul and Terry. Rosemary (Rowe) Carter, wife of Brian A.M. & mother of Julie and Austin

Also please remember in your prayers a number who are unwell or recovering from surgery: John Arndell, Tim Coonan, Brien Dunne, Colin Green, Mike Ledbury, Gail (Rosenthal) Mahon, Wally Nugent, Joe Short, Bob Sullivan, Philip Stephens, Grahame Swenson, Kevin Garrett, Ted Gill, Syl Stower, Jim Hannant, and Bevan Zeller.

Annual Membership Fee ($10.00) for Calendar Year 2020 is now due / or Life Memberships are available (Fee $100.00) Cheques for Membership should be made payable to the “Toowoomba Brothers Old Boy’s Association” * * * Cheques as donations towards the Indoor Sports Complex should be made payable to ‘Br. Baptiste O’Sullivan Building Fund’.

“Coming Events”

To be Advised T.B.O.B.A Annual General Meeting in Clive Berghofer Arena at the College. TBOBA Sunshine Coast luncheon is planned to be held at the Headland Golf Club, 3rd July 2020 Buderim at 12 noon depending on COVID19 restrictions. Please contact Terry Murphy Tentative (5456 4340) or Redmond Byrne (54776705) to assist with catering arrangements.

Bryan McSweeney Dan McErlean Dan Reilly President Secretary Co-Ordinator Mobile: 0420 565 712 (07) 3345 4404 (07) 3395 1813

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Eric Patrick Howe (8/07/1937 – 10/02/2020) Eric was born in Toowoomba of Australian and International entertainment on 8th July 1937 to John Henry luminaries such as Johnny (as he was known then) and Kathleen Veronica Howe. Farnham, Normie Rowe, Billy Thorpe, Johnny O’Keefe, Kamahl and The Platters. During this time He commenced school at Holy Lennon’s became The Ambassador Hotel after being Angels Preparatory School now licensed by Koala Motor Inns to local business men. known as Mater Dei Primary In 1974, the glamour and hard work of entertainment School. Family lore has it that made way for the new challenge of lawn bowls. in his early years he would be Initially a member of North Toowoomba, he made the dropped off at the school and promptly commence his transition to Toowoomba City club in 1978 so he walk back home to George Street. could play competition bowls on Sunday and continue St Mary’s College was the next stop in his education his Saturday bookmaking commitments. He remained where he stayed until completing his Junior a member for 40 years and undertook many roles; Certificate in 1953. committee member, Games Director and President. He was the youngest of six brothers to attend the He became a member of the Downs District Bowling college. John and Darcy commenced in 1935 and Association in 2000 and his involvement included the were followed by Keith, Tom, Colin, and Eric. The responsibilities of the role of Games Committee latter four were all nick-named “Pop”. The boys had Chairman and he was elected President and granted the one sister Molly (Mrs Jim Walsh) Life Membership. During his school years he was a keen sportsman His connection with St Mary’s College continued for playing both cricket, and rugby league. many years with the regular Old Boys lunches he Highlights were selection for Darling Downs Rugby organised and the trips to Brisbane to attend those First XV team in 1953. Also in 1953 playing in the arranged there, offering social occasions he enjoyed college team which was undefeated. In 1954 he was enormously. selected as full-back in the Toowoomba under 18 Volunteering with the Court Support team was Rugby League team, which played a curtain raiser to another highlight for Eric and one which provided a Queensland versus Great Britain game. both an opportunity to learn and more importantly the Sadly, in 1955 he contracted polio and was unable to chance to be engaged with and return a kindness to continue his football career. his much loved home town of Toowoomba. After six months in the Toowoomba General All the adventures recorded were very much a double Hospital, he was discharged in June 1955. It could be act, with his beloved Violet (she was never Vi to him) suggested that he was a ‘poster boy’ for the methods by his side. Having met as teenagers they married on for treating polio prescribed by Sr Kenny. Family the 7th February 1959 and were married for 61 years. lore once again informs that it was suggested to him Two children came into the family, Maree in 1963 while in hospital that the probability of him walking and Paul in 1966. Sadly, Paul was lost to the family without supports or possibly at all was unlikely – he in an accident in 2007. Much adored grandchildren just wasn’t able to accept that answer without a fight. Aaden arrived in 1988 and Finlay in 1997. He commenced his working life in 1954 with the During their years together, Violet was Eric’s electricity board and after many business name staunchest support, nursing him to recovery through changes and promotions he retired after 42 years of any number of ailments; some of which stayed with service in 1996. him for life, accidents and ups and downs – they were While the electrical world was his Monday to Friday a true and loyal partnership the likes of which is not boss, he was able to indulge other interests on seen frequently in current times. They were together weekends. One of his interests was racing – at the end as he would have wanted. thoroughbred, trots and greyhounds and from 1965 He was laid to rest after a requiem mass celebrated by until 1994 he enjoyed the following roles; Rev Father Brian Noonan at St Theresa’s Parish Bookmakers Clerk, Licensed Bookmaker and Betting Centre on the 18th February 2020. Steward. The world of entertainment gained his attention from

1969 to 1974 during which time he was entertainment manager for Lennon’s Hotel and engaged the services

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Roland Joseph Griffin (26/8/1933 – 7/02/2020) awarded the Australian Defence Medal and the Roley was the eldest of three Anniversary of National Service (1951-1972) Medal. sons born to Karl Joseph (Joe) Roley continued working for ‘Southern Cross’ until Griffin and Irene (Rene) Nolan. 1964 when he joined IBC (International Boring Co His early Primary Education Ltd) as Works Manager until 1971 when IBC was was at the Ursuline Convent taken over by Dunlop Australia Ltd that year and he before his enrolment in Grade became their Engineering & Technical Services (3) at St Mary’s College in Manager and a Director of Dunlop IBC Australia Ltd. 1943. The other brothers Noel As Divisional Manager with some (250) staff he was and Errol joined him at the responsible for the design, manufacturing and College in 1943 and 1948. A bright student, Roley marketing through State Branches and export agents gained his Junior Certificate in 1949 and began an of IBC pumping, irrigation, swimming pool and water Engineering Cadetship at the Toowoomba Foundry treatment products. ‘Southern Cross’ in 1950 and was awarded his In 1982 Roley moved on to be Senior Project Diploma in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering at Manager & Associate with CMPS&F Pty Limited, the Queensland Technical College in 1955. Brisbane, responsible for multi-disciplinary design, Before his 21st Birthday in 1954 Roley and Noel were tendering, contracts administration, construction called up for National Service; but they were reluctant supervision and commissioning projects. to join the Army Service, just to march and tramp Here, Mining & Industry Projects were undertaken around the bush, so instead undertook their National for the Mt Cuthbert Copper Project, Austpac Gold Service in the Royal Australian Navy enlisting as NL, Girilambone Copper Company, Boyne Smelters Nashos at the Naval Shore Base HMAS Penguin at Ltd and Industry Infrastructure Projects for BHP Balmoral NSW. Moura Coal, Gold Coast Waterways Authority, Here they did their square lashing, shooting, sleeping Queensland Water Resources Commission, Gold in hammocks, swimming strongly, saluting officers Coast City Council, BlairAthol Coal, Capricorn Coal and meeting other requirements for entering the world and BHP German Creek Coal and Roley drew on his of the sea. Unusually for brothers, Roley and Noel, wide experience to ensure the technically complex both selected to become Engineering Mechanics 2nd projects were successfully completed on time and Class or Stokers – who work in blue overalls in the within budgets. belly of the ship with levers, dials and gauges, steam, Roley was a Life Member of the Toowoomba sweat and hissing machine noises. Brothers Old Boys’ Associations and a regular Three months later, on 27/10/1954, to their great attendee at our Brisbane Sub-Branch luncheons. He surprise, they were posted to the Aircraft Carrier, and Margaret had also enjoyed the 120th Year HMAS Vengeance, on loan to the Australian Navy to Anniversary Dinner at St Mary’s College on Saturday assist in the Korean War which by now had subsided. 19/10/2019. In 2003 he and former classmates Doug The ship was being sent to Japan to embark all the Lee and Brian Gagen organised a Reunion of their Meteor Jet Fighters of the Royal Australian Air Force Scholarship Class. No 77 Squadron, with all their equipment and airmen He was also a Member of the Queensland Section of who had been based in Japan for the Korean War. the Naval Association of Australia and the Yeronga- On its return to Sydney on 3/12/1954, the Vengeance Dutton Park RSL Sub Branch. At his funeral in had a (3) month refit, as it was scheduled to be Toowoomba on 14/2/2020, Ross Wiseman President returned to England and would be replaced by a of the Yeronga-Dutton Park RSL Sub Branch paid second Aircraft Carrier for Australia, the HMAS tribute to their beloved comrade Roland Joseph Melbourne. The brothers were called up for the trip, if Griffin ‘Roley’ Service Number 4485 NS National they signed up in the Permanent Navy for another (5) Service RAN. years. They replied “‘no thanks’ we are going back to Toowoomba to complete our trades”. On release they made themselves available for a further (5) years in the Navy, if called up, and both became entitled to a War Service Home. Roley married and had (3) beautiful children. Both lads were

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Lyle Trevor Dornbusch (15/05/2020) wife Patricia (Roney). Mrs Dunne was a stalwart of our Old Boy’s Ladies Committee and made the cake Life Member Lyle Dornbusch for the T.B.O.B.A. Debutante Ball for many years. passed to Eternal Life on the 15th In the Queen’s Birthday Awards in 2007, Sister Regis April 2020. He was the eldest of Mary was honoured with an Officer in the General three brothers who attended St Division of the Order of Australia (AO). The award Mary’s College – Lyle (1945- was for service to medical research and as a 1950), Grahame and John. Their researcher in the field of genetics. sisters were Elaine (RIP) and . Diane They were the children of Percy and Alia Dornbusch. He was the loved husband of Life Member Frank Sylvia and Shirley, both deceased. Adamson, (1946-1952) has Lyle was a keen member of the junior College rugby been awarded for his 50 league teams and of the College Orchestra which years’ Service as a Justice of played to the Annual Concerts, Speech Nights and St the Peace. He still enjoys Patrick Night concerts. After scholarship he obtained volunteering when he has a carpentry apprenticeship with F H Chamberlin an the spare time and first old and respected building firm. He enjoyed dances became a J.P. while working for Defiance Milling as and met and married Sylvia Townson. The couple the Technical Director and seeing an ever-growing were blessed with two sons, Mark and Brett (RIP), need for witnessing documents. and two daughters, Michelle and Cindy. Now retired, he spends a lot of time on his small Between 1960 and 1968 Lyle worked in partnership property, but when people need him he is still as builders with Jim Hope. Jim was a returned soldier available to witness documents for them. and some years older than Lyle, so when Jim retired Presenting his Commemorative Certificate and Dornbusch & Hope became L.T. & S.J. Dornbusch Medallion, the Member for Condamine Pat Weir MP Builders. Lyle loved building and enjoyed the said it was a great opportunity to recognise Frank’s comradeship of his employees and all associated significant achievement and the important service he allied trades on a wide variety of building provides for the people of Queensland. construction works. Frank and Evonne have three daughters, Kathryn, In the 1970’s Lyle moved into land development with Kim and Kaye. He is the son of former T.B.O.B.A. Brian Menhinnitt and teamed up with Fr Bill Hall, President Frank (Senior) and Joyce (Perry) and elder Bob Johnson and members of the St Vincent de Paul brother of Greg (RIP) and Judith. During his career Society on the Fatima Home project. It opened with as a Miller, Frank earned National and International Sister Loretta Lewis in charge. recognition from peers for his innovative Sylvia was unwell in the early 1990’s and an achievements in flour milling technology. exploratory operation found she had lymphoma cancer of the abdomen. She underwent intense chemotherapy immediately, but she passed away on Our thanks go to Wieslaw (John) Wlodarczyk for 12/10/1996. taking up Life Membership of our Association In 1999, Lyle met up again with Shirley Pugh who recently. He was eight years old when the 1939/1945 Sylvia and he had known when they were teenagers War ended and he, his mother Irena and two sisters and they married in 2000. Sadly, Shirley died just were liberated by American forces from the prior to Lyle’s passing on Good Friday 10 April 2020. Concentration Camp in Germany. They were reunited with his father who had fought for the Polish Army in actions in the Middle East at Tobruk, Benghazi, th On the 20 April 2020 Sister Regis Mary (Dunne) Monte Cassino. nd rsm passed to Eternal Life. She was in the 72 year After three years in Refugee Camps in England the of her Religious Profession as a Sister of Mercy. She family migrated to Australia in 1950 and they went was the daughter of Mr & Mrs Dinny Dunne and straight to Toowoomba where John was enrolled at St sister and sister-in-law of Life Member Brien and his Mary’s College. Held back a couple of classes so he

4 could learn English first. He passed in eight subjects Leigh Madden (0411961171 - Brisbane) and Tony at the 1954 Junior Examination. Platz (0409265453 – Toowoomba are looking to John, a small lad, played in the 5st 7lb football team organise a reunion for St Mary’s College past and remembers joining the Cadets and being part of a students from the 1967 Yr 10 to1969 Yr 12, and 1968 “Guard of Honour” for the Queen’s visit in 1954. He Yr 10 to 1970 Yrs. served as an Altar Boy for Fr Bill Hall when the St At this stage the proposed date is 14th November at a Thomas More Parish commenced. His brothers, venue yet to be confirmed. Please Contact Leigh or Christopher and Mariusz were also educated at the Tony if you are interested. College. During his working life John spent some years in the The new College Auditorium and Cultural Centre Royal Australian Navy. He now lives in Emerald, is under construction at the corner of Hill and Helen Victoria. Streets. It began with the turning of the sod on the 30th January 2020. The two-storey structure is expected to reach completion in November. Old Boy Sam Neale (Year 12 – 2019) averaged 62.70 The Auditorium will cater for full College assemblies, (690 runs) including three centuries and three half- provide state of the art lecture rooms for educational centuries in the 2019/2020 Toowoomba Cricket Club purposes and learning demonstrations and have tiered season. This completed a stellar season for him, seating arrangements. There will be a small kitchen having represented Queensland at the Under 19 area and an Archives display showing the great Country level before progressing to the open men’s history of St Mary’s College. Queensland Country side at the National Championships earlier this year. The 17-year-old has moved to Brisbane to study at the University of Queensland and hopes to push to the next tier of cricket. Sam is studying Exercise and Nutrition Science. He is the great-nephew of the late Fr. Jeffrey Scully (1950-1959).

Life Member and popular Old Boy and former College Teacher, Joey Jones, is pleased to inform us of the arrival of his first great grandson Xavier Michael Jones to parents Aaron and Mikall.

On the 8th May 2020, a son, Ethan James Moloney, was born to Doctors Tom and Krystin Moloney. Krystin is the daughter of Dr Vincent & Catherine Deen and Tom is the son of Greg and Nicky Moloney. Ethan is the 9th great-grandchild of Jim Long and his late wife Maureen and the great-grandchild of Edna and the late Mick Moloney. Jim and Mick were classmates at St Mary’s College in the 1940’s.

Can anyone let Secretary, Dan McErlean know the present address of Mark Dwyer (Senior 1969) and Life Member No 12? His March Newsletter has been The lower floor, which will lead out onto the Brother returned from 16/194 Hume Street, Toowoomba. Frank Rodgers Sports Fields will have a gymnasium, weights room, and change room facilities for students.

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If you haven’t already purchased a copy of the recently published Old Boys’ history book, “Good Old Boys – Conversations with Dan” there are a number of copies available. Please call Dan McErlean on (07) 33454404

We Recall

The current Coronavirus pandemic sweeping the nation has reminded many Old Boys of the incidence of Poliomyelitis that was evident across the community in 1951. Many St Mary’s College students, including promising athletes David Robson

and Eric Howe spent lengthy periods in hospital getting treatment.

Brother Sylvester Wright who had been appointed Principal in 1950 elected to cancel the annual Swimming Carnival. Football and cricket were also cancelled to avoid health implications for the young.

To offset the financial loss, the sale of sweets and afternoon teas, due to the cancellation of the Carnival, a bridge party was held at Mrs Benson’s home in Anzac Avenue.

The 1952 annual Swimming Carnival was held in Stage 2 of the project, which will be built next to the torrential rain; but this did not deter a surprisingly Auditorium will include a number of classrooms for large crowd from attending. Arts, Music and Drama. This will allow more subjects for the students to undertake with the new ATAR Our St Mary’s College Team came fourth in the introduced this year. Metropolitan Catholic Schools Association Carnival that year. Success was less than anticipated, partly The College Public Relations & Foundation Officer, because of the delay in the trip down to Brisbane for Tyhla Larkin, is looking for donations of staff and students which limited their participation. artefacts/memorabilia for the Archives Display The bus had blown a tyre near Marburg en route. within the Auditorium which will feature the lives of many of our Old Boys, as well as the extensive By the end of the decade College numbers had history of the College. become too large for the College pool, so the annual carnival was held in the City pool located on the Tyhla would like to hear stories of your time at St corner of Margaret and Hume Streets at the time. Mary’s College. You can submit a story via the form on the College website. Please click on the website These days the carnival is held at the “Milne Bay” and scroll down to the Form at the bottom of the page Pool. and fill in your details and attach files or photos. https://www.stmaryscollege.com/community/oldboys

Alternatively, you can contact Tyhla on 0427 279 648

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John Warrian – Australian Champion Motorcycle Racer – Part 1 John arrived in this world in Toowoomba on the 2nd of January 1942. He was the 2nd child of William Henry and Enid Grace Warrian. John did his Preparatory education at St Ursula’s College, Toowoomba with his sister Ann. In 1950 John joined a cohort of 80 to 90 young boys who enrolled in grade 2 at Saint Mary’s. John remained there until early in 1956 when to quote John “I was in sub junior which is equivalent to year eight and convinced my mother that my teacher was no good. We were doing bookkeeping and I remember sitting there thinking this guy is hopeless. I’m leaving school. “John then got a job as an apprentice solid plasterer. John’s Mother and Father split up and he moved to Brisbane with his Mum. He then got a job on a dredge on the Brisbane River. John joined the merchant Navy as a deckhand and set off on many big adventures. “We’d do Brisbane, Adelaide, Tasmania and all ports to Far North Queensland finishing at Thursday Island. The money was terrific. You got paid for weekends on board even if you weren’t on a shift. Suddenly I was young and cashed up and after another adventure and motorcycles started to appeal to me.” John realised that he could get a motorcycle license in South Australia at the age of 16 so the next time he was in port in Adelaide he got one. Shortly after he purchased his first bike, a 500cc Triumph Tiger from a dealer in the Gabba. His next problem was that he did not know how to ride a bike. “My brother-in-law Gill put my new bike in his ute and we drove to Caboolture and unloaded the bike. I rode around for a while and then rode home to Water Street in South Brisbane”. In late 1958 John went to watch the motor bike races at the Lowood Airbase. Some of the top riders such as Kel Caruthers were in action there. To quote John “I left that meeting pretty impressed with racing and figured I could do that myself and maybe even beat some of those guys.”

John’s First Bike John got involved in drag racing on the streets which was fun until the police turned up! He decided that he would be better off getting his speed fix from racing rather than on the wrong side of the law. In 1963 John purchased a Bonneville motorbike, a state-of-the-art machine and joined the Kendra motorcycle club and set up a work area under his mother’s house. John’s first race was at Lakeside in 1965. He led the race for a while but his machine slowed and he was out of luck. He modified the bike to vastly improve its performance and on June 5, 1966 he entered his second race at Lakeside. He won the six lap B Grade Scratch race and later that day he also won the final - the 10 lap Unlimited Queensland Riders race. He was awarded the Carieton Memorial Shield which was eventually given to him permanently due to the number of times he had won it over the years.

To be continued……. Presentation of Trophies, Lakeside

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T.B.O.B.A. LOOKING BACK

Executive of the Re-established Old Boys’ Association 1949 Standing: K. Deighton (Treasurer), F. Bowdler (President), C. Clark, K. Simpson (Secretary) Seated: Br. G. T. Barfield (Director), Bishop Roper, Fr. E. Concannon (Chaplin) Br. J. B. O’Sullivan

First Executive of the Brisbane Branch of the Old Boys’ Association 1949 Standing: Thomas Gorman, F. F. McGarry, J. R. Byrne Seated: K. L. McCoy (Treasurer), T. J. Hitzke (President), R. L. Coren (Secretary)

Extracted from “St. Mary’s College Toowoomba – A Century On 1899 – 1999 Kevin Dwyer c.f.c.

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