From the Archives

As we remember them, let us look at two of many stories of those who served our country who are connected with Mount Lilydale Mercy College.

1944 — The 15-year-old who went to war

Bill Phillips was one of 11 children from his family who attended the Convent school. In June 1942 he enlisted to serve in the Second World War, even though he was only 15 years old, telling the military authorities he was 19. According to Bill, his parents were unaware that he'd done this. His father was already in the Army and his mother had 10 other children at home to look after and thought he was away working in the bush.

After his training he was transferred into an anti-aircraft battery and was sent to New Guinea. He served on the frontline for a year until he contracted dengue fever and while in hospital the military authorities discovered his real age. Even though he had served for two years, he was still just 17 and still underage and so was discharged in June 1944.

His military career didn’t end there, though. Bill enlisted again in July 1945, when he was 18, and served as an army instructor until 1950, when he volunteered for service in the Korean War. He only made it as far as Japan when his earlier tropical disease flared up, resulting in him being sent home and discharged. Bill passed away in 2015.

1945 — World War II

The Second World War had an impact on the College and the students. There was rationing, blackouts, supply shortages and a number of the staff and boarders had family who were serving in the conflict.

Towards the end of the war, some students recalled German prisoners of war assisting in the gardens at the College. These were more than likely a group of German merchant seamen who were camped at Healesville and allowed to work in small parties around the district.

One former student, Maureen Leggett, worked for the American military at the huge supply depot in Port Melbourne and she also volunteered in her spare time as a voluntary aid detachment. A number of other former students of the Convent school and the College served in uniform during the war, the following are a list of the ones that are known:

• 2nd AIF — Joseph Gallivan, John McMahon, William Phillips
• Army — Valentino Celotti, Thomas Mitchell
• RAAF — Patrick Keenan, Graham Latimer
• WRAN — Alma Rahilly
• AWAS — Audrey Campbell, Frances Flynn
• WAAAF — Sybil Fleming, Audrey Pithie, Ivy Shaw.

One former student, Mary Gowans (Class of 1940), was at school the day the war ended and remembered “people running around shouting the news and crying”. In 2005 a memorial plaque was placed on the traffic island near Centennial Hall commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

In recent years a number of former students have served in the Australian Defence Force — one flew an FA 18 hornet fighter plane over the school in 2016. Another, Fiona Haynes (Class of 1989), went on to become the army’s most senior education officer and was inducted into the Mercy Honour Roll in 2018.

Pictured above: Audrey Wheeler (nee Campbell) (second from left) forming a guard of honour for General Sir Thomas Blamey (photo courtesy of Yarra Ranges Regional Museum).