Scheyville graduates an unintended benefit of the Vietnam War

Most schools couldn’t claim as many successful sons as Scheyville. To be sure, schools like Perth Modern can claim a Prime Minister, departmental secretaries, ministers and a Governor-General - but it did not produce them within the space of seven years. Scheyville can claim a Deputy Prime Minister (Tim Fischer), a state Premier (Jeff Kennett), parliamentarians, the leader of the famous airline strike, a Vice-Chancellor, a coterie of Brigadiers, successful broadcasters, journalists and advertising men and a bevy of prominent businessmen - all from but seven short years. Scheyville also produced some very gallant young men.

What was it that made Scheyville graduates so special? National service, while burdening the army with the demand of training thousands of young men dragged from the streets by the misfortune of the a ballot, also gave it access to a pool of talent otherwise denied to it. Experience in the UK and the US during previous wars had shown that militia officers or those officers signed up for the “duration” were often brighter than their regular colleagues. The regular officer mafia might demur, but Scheyville proved this true again.

At the time regular officers looked down upon the “shake and bake” Scheyville Lieutenants - indeed some still do. The Royal Military College Duntroon has produced some fine and distinguished officers, but very little besides - they are soldiers and their impact is limited to that cloistered world. Scheyville produced in seven years what RMC hasn’t done for almost a century.

As for “signing leave passes” in Australia, Scheyville graduates were conscripted and trained to lead men in an unpopular war. While their peers were starting their careers or finishing their studies, going to parties and enjoying life, the Scheyville men were on some godforsaken military range on an endless exercise, cold, hungry and tired, or sitting at their desk cramming for an exam the next day, or were somewhere in Malaysia, New Guinea or Phuc Touy Province.

They have every reason to be angry or resentful and yet most see it as the defining moment of their lives, something to be grateful for. And given their achievements in later life, we have reason to be grateful too.