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The Catholic Leader, November 10, 2019
www.catholicleader.com.auRegional News
Anzac veteran priest replaces
medals after a recent cyclone
Honoured return:
Fr John O’Connor holding his service medals with Fr Kerry Costigan.
FR John O’Connor, retired priest
living in Tully, was recognised for
his military service with a ceremony
presenting him with replacement
medals for those lost during the
cyclone in 2011.
He was interviewed by both Win and Channel
7 and was happy to have his medals back in his
possession.
He said while he found his time in the air force
to be a call to service, for him his greatest joy was
in responding to God’s call to the priesthood and
his 61 years of service to the Catholic faith.
Fr Kerry Costigan, retired Toowoomba priest
and long-time friend, was instrumental in con-
tacting the military authorities to instigate these
important medals being replaced.
Cairns Bishop James Foley presented the med-
als to Fr O’Connor.
Fellow priests, together with diocesan staff,
friends and RSL staff were present during the
ceremony on September 19.
Fr O’Connor joined the Royal Australian Air
Force aged 18 on 22 April 1943.
He was honourably discharged in 1945 at the
end of the Second World War with the rank of
Warrant Officer, the most senior non-commis-
sioned rank in the air force.
He served in 460 Lancaster Bomber Squadron
based at Binbrook in England.
Fr O’Connor has always said that he dropped
more food parcels than bombs – food parcels
often enough seized by hungry German soldiers,
than the poor distressed people of the country
invaded by the Germans.
Five medals were replaced – 1939-45 Star
awarded for military service for operations
carried out by air crew personnel; Air Crew
Europe Star awarded also for operational flying
from the United Kingdom bases over Europe
by day and by night; Defence Medal awarded
for at least six months service in a prescribed
nonoperational area subject to enemy air attack
or closely threatened; both in Australia and
overseas; War Medal 1939-45 awarded for at
least 28 days full-time service in the Armed
Forces between September3, 1939 – September
2, 1945, whether operational or non-operational
service; Australia Service Medal 1939-45
awarded to recognise the service of members
of the Australian Armed Services during the
Second World War.
Back to Toowoomba for a school reunion
By Fr Frank Gordon
IT was a trip down “memory lane” to revisit my old school Down-
lands College, Toowoomba, in July this year.
The occasion was a class reunion, celebrating the 70th anniver-
sary of our senior year 1949.
Our four years at college were named sub-junior, junior, sub-
senior and senior.
Our senior year boasted of about 10 students, several became
doctors of medicine.
I am not sure of how many survivors there are, but the response
to the invitation resulted in just two attendees, a classmate Spencer
and myself.
We have maintained a strong friendship over the years since
senior, so the weekend brought back many shared memories.
One of the highlights of the weekend was that Downlands
defeated Grammar in their annual rugby union match.
During our college days in the late 1940s, Downlands included
about 200 students, all boys and all boarders.
We were taught by priests, Missionaries of the Sacred Heart.
Lay brothers of the same order looked after our meals and
laundry needs.
Those men through their dedication touched our lives deeply.
Today Downlands numbers are over 800, with facilities for
boarders for both girls and boys, beginning at Year 4.
All staff are lay people.
It was good to meet Fr Vince Carroll, priest-in-residence at the
college, who continues an MSC presence at the college providing
priestly ministry to staff and students.
It was a great honour for me to be asked to propose the toast
to Downlands at the formal dinner and to celebrate Mass in the
college chapel.
Old school:
Fr Frank
Gordon
celebrat-
ing Mass at
Downlands
College
chapel.