Anzac spirit lives on in Jim's Chookhouse
May 2009
by Claire Munro
Permanent reminder ... Marjorie Redlich and Greenslopes State School leaders Alysha Knox and Rahel Stanley with the plaque for Jim's Chookhouse.
Greenslopes State School's Anzac assembly this year honoured former pupils who had served Australia in conflict, celebrating the memory of one veteran whose legacy included his love of feathered creatures.
A mosaic plaque on the school's chicken run is now a permanent reminder of that legacy.
At the ceremony, acting principal Wayne Bryant declared the students' chicken run would be known as Jim's Chookhouse after much-loved 1920s past pupil and World War II veteran Jim Redlich who died last year.
'Mr Redlich served in the Australian Air Force and attended our Anzac ceremony for many years,' Mr Bryant said.
'The theme of our ceremony this year was mateship. Our students come from many cultures and enjoy learning about the spirit of Anzac. They now have a daily reminder of one man's sense of mateship and kindness.'
Mr Redlich's widow Marjorie, who joined veterans and students in laying flowers and wreaths at the ceremony, said her late husband would be delighted to know the students were caring for their chickens in Jim's Chookhouse.
'Jim loved hens and looked after them for many years,' Mrs Redlich said. 'He loved the school and would be a very proud man today.'
Mates ... Private Peter Macdonald (left) and Private David Barter with tracking dog Marcian on a training exercise in New South Wales in 1968 before going to South Vietnam.
Five other past students who served Australia in wartime were special guests at the ceremony.
Vietnam veteran Peter Macdonald told student leaders the values he learnt at Greenslopes State School in the 1950s were important, particularly on operations with tracking dogs in South Vietnam in 1969.
'The school taught us about loyalty to our friends and to our school, respect for others, teamwork, attention to duty, tolerance and pride in our work,' he said. 'In South Vietnam, I'd often reflect on the values we learnt from our teachers all those years ago and realise they were actually in the spirit of Anzac.
'We also saw that same spirit in our tracking dogs. They were loyal, unfailingly diligent in their duty and brave - except when a tiger was around and they jumped into our sleeping bags for protection.'
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