SACS Roll of Honour
In an innovative collaboration of the Andrean Historical Society and the School Archives, a new project has commenced to produce a Roll of Honour for St Andrew’s Cathedral School. Inclusion in the SACS Roll of Honour is open to any former student or staff member (male or female) who served in any branch of the Australian Defence Forces at any time since 1885, the year of the School’s foundation. With a provisional completion date of ANZAC Day 2009, it is anticipated that the project’s findings will be presented on Roll of Honour boards in prominent locations at the School.
The study of History has traditionally been one of St Andrew’s great strengths. One of the aims of this project is developing a similar passion for historical inquiry into the 123 years of the existence of our School. The aim is for the School Archivist, Mrs Annie Zimmermann, Dr Panayiotis Diamadis (History Teacher) and a group of Year 9 students to work together to create a database of students and staff who have served in the Australian Defence Forces between 1885 and 2008.
Amongst the illustrious alumni who have served our country in the armed forces was Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. Born in Brisbane in 1897, he was a student at the School from 1907 to 1909. Enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in February 1915, he served at Gallipoli and, as a dispatch rider, in Egypt and France. In October 1916, Sergeant Kingsford Smith transferred to the Australian Flying Corps. After training in England, he was discharged from the AIF and commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Flying Corps in March 1917. He was appointed Flying Officer in May and two months later joined No.23 Squadron in France. Wounded and shot down in August, he was awarded the Military Cross 'for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’. Kingsford Smith had brought down four German machines during his first month at the front and done valuable work in attacking ground targets and hostile surveillance balloons. After a promotion to Lieutenant in April 1918, he served as an RFC flying instructor until the conclusion of the war.
The project team is looking for information on men and women who have an association with St Andrew’s Cathedral School matching the criteria. If you know of a relative, former classmate or former teacher who fits the criteria for inclusion in the SACS Roll of Honour, please contact Dr Diamadis (PDiamadis@sacs.nsw.edu.au).
