Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2011 A W.R.J. 'Jack' Scott (Moore 1989, Fig. 4, between p.134 & 135; Douglas 2004, p.6) B Sir Philip Goldfinch (Moore 1989, Fig. 7? (not numbered), between p.134 & 135) Figure 1. A Sir Robert Gillespie (Knox Grammar School 2011) Figure 2. B Colonel Erik Campbell 1931 (Campbell 1965, opp. p.74) form what eventually became the United Australia Party (Macintyre 1999, p.179). All three organizations had a presence in the Blue Mountains and the country organizer for the ‘All For Australia League’ was John McManamey, principal of Woodford Academy. Major General Sir Charles Rosenthal, another Blue Mountains resident, had links with an earlier conservative organisation known as ‘The King and Empire Alliance’ (Cathcart 1988, p.96). It is commonly held that the novel Kangaroo, written by D.H. Lawrence, was based on the formation of a secret paramilitary army in New South Wales, and the main character, Kangaroo, is said to have been based on Rosenthal, while the character Jack Callcott was based on Jack Scott (Lawrence 1923, pp.160-161). The Old Guard shared many similarities to The King and Empire Alliance because both organisations were comprised of many ex-army officers. 52 Back to Contents
Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2011 The Old Guard Action Headquarters in the Blue Mountains Division was located at Katoomba in the business premises of William Carey Soper (Figure 3) (BMCCL LS VF Old Guard). It is of interest to note that Soper was a member of Rotary because Stuart Mcintyre stated that the All For Australia League, one of the common denominators, originated from a Rotarians meeting held in 1931 (McIntyre 1986, pp.251-286). Soper, who operated a real estate and auctioneering business, served as a Lieutenant in the Great War and in the 1930s, he was an Alderman on Katoomba Municipal Council (BMCCL LS VF Aldermen & Councillors). Other members of the Old Guard Blue Mountains Division with military experience were David Smith Cranston, Carlton Lyle Gill, Jack Sidaway, Arndell Neil Lewis, Norman Dickson and Lachlan Anderson. They had all served with the Australian forces during the Great War, while Colonel Richard Wynne, a significant land owner in Mount Wilson but who was living in England at the time, had served with the 3rd Battalion (1914-1915) and 2nd Battalion (1915-1918) of the Bedfordshire Regiment (Anonymous 2011), and the 18th King’s Liverpool Regiment (1918-1919), being awarded a DSO and bar (Delbridge 2006, p.14; BMCCL LS VF Old Guard). Although David Mitchell Rogalsky (Figure 4), a Springwood resident, had not seen war service he is known to have served with the New South Wales Lancers and had been a Troop Leader for the 2nd Squadron of the 3rd Australian Light Horse Regiment (Australian Light Horse Studies Centre website). Military experience was not a prerequisite and was beneficial not so much for the experience but for the sustained contact between the men. Figure 3. Soper Brothers store, Katoomba Street, Katoomba. (BMCCL LS IL 618). Rogalsky, like Richard Wynne, was independently wealthy as a consequence of inheriting considerable capital and property on the death of his Jewish father (Smith 2002). He was educated at Sydney Boys Grammar School, as were Jack Scott, Sir Philip Goldfinch, Sir Samuel Hordern, poet Banjo Paterson and Antarctic explorer Douglas Mawson. Hordern and Rogalsky would have been contempories. Photographer Frank Hurley and artist Norman Lindsay could be counted among his friends, as could one-time Governor of New South Wales, Lord Beauchamp and politician and entrepreneur Hugh D. McIntosh. 53 Back to Contents
Page 1 and 2:
Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2
Page 3 and 4:
Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2
Page 5 and 6: Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2
Page 55: Blue Mountains History Journal 2; 2
show all

Blue Mountains History Journal Issue 2

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?