Docco's Diary: St Peter's College Brookman and Nitschke Pavilions

Old scholar sporting teams have used the Michael Brookman Memorial Pavilion on the Caterer Oval extensively for nearly 70 years. Old scholars may be interested in knowing something of the history of this Pavilion and the Nitschke Pavilion on the Main Oval, which many old scholars would have used for sport when they were boys at St Peter’s College.

As one looks at these Pavilions in 2022, one is reminded of the sense of service that our old scholars have shown. One is also reminded of our school’s motto “Pro Deo et Patria”.

We have a 1933 photograph of the 1st XI Cricket team. In the photograph are RH Nitschke (Vice-Captain) and MR Brookman. They are also both in the photograph of the 1933 Intercollegiate Football Team and the 1933 Intercollegiate Athletics Team. They were both killed on active service in the Second World War. The two pavilions on the school grounds are in their memory.

Richard Hastings Nitschke was killed at Benghazi, Libya in 1941. Michael Rodney Brookman was killed at El Alamein, Egypt in 1942.

RH Nitschke was at St Peter’s College from 1924 to 1934 and was in Da Costa House. He played in the Intercollegiate First XI Cricket Team from 1931-1934. He was Captain in 1934 and Vice-Captain in 1933. He played in the Intercollegiate Football Team 1931-1934. He returned to School as Captain of cricket in the first term of 1935 and played in the first two matches, but then left during that term at the end of March to travel to England. He was a School Prefect in 1934 and a House Prefect in 1933. He later worked as a sheep farmer near Port Augusta.

Richard Hastings Nitschke lost his life on service with the RAAF. Born in Adelaide in 1915, he enlisted on 20 July 1940 and his last rank was as a Pilot Officer. He was killed in a Flying Battle, Benghazi, on 21 December 1941, aged 26 years.

After the Second World War, at Speech Day 1953, it was announced that his older brother, HC Nitschke, who had played cricket in the 1st XI at St Peter’s 1922-24, and later for Australia in 1932, and his three sisters, in conjunction with the Old Scholars Association had offered to present to the School in memory of RH Nitschke and other members of the Old Scholars Football Club, a new pavilion and changing room for the Main Oval. On 17th December 1954, Speech Day, the RH Nitschke Memorial pavilion was officially handed over to the School.

The plaque on the pavilion reads:

IN MEMORY OF

PILOT OFFICER

RICHARD HASTINGS NITSCHKE

R.A.A.F.

SCHOOL PREFECT 1934

REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SCHOOL IN

CRICKET 1931-4    CAPTAIN 1934

FOOTBALL 1931-4

ATHLETICS 1933-4

SWIMMING 1930-2

THIS PAVILION WAS GIVEN

TO THE SCHOOL

BY HIS BROTHER AND SISTERS

DECEMBER 1954

Michael Rodney Brookman was in Farrell House. He left school in 1933. He played in the First XI Cricket and the First XVIII Football Teams in 1933. He also represented our School in the Intercollegiate Athletics Team.

He had qualified as a barrister after leaving school. He was admitted to the bar in 1938. He enlisted on 23 May 1940 and reached the rank of Sergeant. His last unit was 2nd/7th Field Regiment. Born in Adelaide, he had been living in North Adelaide. He was killed in action at the Battle of El Alamein, Egypt on 14 July 1942, aged 26 years. The Brookman Pavilion is a memorial to him. The Pavilion was erected in 1953 and handed to the School in early 1954.

The plaque on the pavilion reads:

THE MICHAEL BROOKMAN MEMORIAL

WAS ERECTED AND IMPROVEMENTS WERE MADE TO

THE WILSON CATERER OVALS

FROM FUNDS DONATED BY MRS GEORGE BROOKMAN

AND BY MEMBERS OF ST PETER'S COLLEGIANS ASSOCIATION

PRESENTED TO THE SCHOOL IN 1954

Mrs George Brookman was Michael’s mother. His younger brother was Graham Brookman (FLL 1939). Graham Brookman oversaw the Caterer/Wilson Oval reconstructions in 1953.

Pro Deo et Patria

David Docwra
David Docwra retired from St Peter’s College in December 2015 after 37 years’ service and will be fondly remembered by many as a dedicated teacher, a committed coach of squash, cricket and soccer, and most especially as a passionate Head of Hawkes House for 21 years.