Inspiring the next generation of leaders
The commemorative service, linked to the anniversary of Monash’s decisive Battle of Amiens on 8 August 1918 was organised by The Spirit of Australia Foundation. Jim Barry AM MBE (OW1950) is a founding member of the organisation and was the MC of the service.
The Spirit of Australia Foundation holds Sir John Monash in the highest regard for his significant contributions to the community. Monash’s service to the Defence Force during WWI and his impact on Australia when he returned home, has influenced our society today.
The aim of the Foundation is to inspire students in their goals, possibilities and potential in the community and educate them about the variety of role models who have contributed to Australia from a variety of fields.
As Jim Barry commented “I was delighted to see ‘purple’ in the gallery of the Chamber once again and briefly meet with the students after the service, together with the Head of Glen Waverley campus, Peter Dickinson. My Foundation has been honouring Sir John’s service to Australia since 2005 in the Parliament’s Legislative Assembly Chamber, a rare privilege in itself.
John Monash was an iconic nation-builder, a citizen soldier, however his fame did not come from war alone, though he did shorten WWI in Europe with his innovative engineering approach to warfare. Pre-WWI he changed the way bridges were structured with reinforced concrete, built railway lines and established the Monier pipe company. Post-war he repatriated 180,000 of our troops home from the UK after training them for their return to civilian life. He helped establish many organisations such as Legacy, Rotary and the RSL, but most of all had the vision to establish the State’s electricity grid (SEC). He even had the foresight to determine the site of our Shrine of Remembrance.
Sir John Monash died at the relatively young age of 66 for that time in 1931, having overcome the bigotry of that period in relation to his ethnic and religious background. He could have well have been educated at Wesley, rather than Scotch College, in that he definitely dared to be wise.”
