NEWS FROM GRAMMAR 2015

A return school visit from a
WW2 Evacuee to Tasmania
In February, 72 years after he left, Mr Neil Wimberley
returned to the school which provided him with so many fond memories.
almost as good as fish and chips) …
The only difference in sport was Australian Rules instead of Rugger
…The School war cry was a new experience which I hadn’t met
before. I can still remember it.
Neil’s memories of school during his visit focussed on the Boarding
House- his home during term, his lessons, friends (he was in the
same year as Peter Sculthorpe and preparations for war.
Stephen Norris, Neil Wimberley, Sarah Wimberley, Amanda Crooks
Mr Wimberley, accompanied by his daughter Sarah, enjoyed the tour
of the school with Headmaster Stephen Norris and Development and
Alumni Officer Manager Amanda Crooks.
Neil was twelve and a half when he and his sister arrived in Tasmania
to be looked after by the Cameron family. After some time at the farm
to settle in to life in Australia, he began school as a Grade 8 boarder.
I went to Grammar in January 1941, aged just 13. School
seemed very similar to what I was used, and had expected, as
were living arrangements, discipline and food (except for saveloys
which I hadn’t met before, and hated, but I took to mutton birds,
I can recall digging air raid trenches along the hedge of the
Headmaster’s House (which were always full of water) of younger
masters and older boys enlisting, and a great interest being
taken in the cadet corps (especially when we were issued with
modern informs, instead of the previous Boer War kit, and Bren
and Owen guns replaced the First World War Hotchkiss machine
guns).
Staying at Grammar for three years until the end of Grade 10 in 1943
and aged 16, his father (against Neil’s wishes) arranged for him to
attend Geelong Grammar. He then enlisted in the British Army and
returned to the UK in January 1945. An incident filled return trip
eventually saw him reunited with his parents before he commenced
training. Neil continued in the army as an officer and after the war in
the Pacific had finished, served in many parts of the world. After 22
years he settled in Scotland. Many of his family members have since
visited Tasmania.
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