Updating Memorial Hall Honour Boards

There are two Honour Boards that hang in the foyer of Memorial Hall to honour old scholars who have served in military and peacekeeping operations since World War II. The boards were unveiled by Brigadier M.L. Clifford AM CSC (HWD 1974) on Friday 16 May 2003.

Service continues to be a core value at St Peter’s College and Memorial Hall is a lasting tribute to those old scholars who made the ultimate sacrifice through their service, Pro Deo et Patria.

SPOC recently sent our congratulations to Major Mac Jensen OAM RFD JP (Ret’d) (YNG 1981) who received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) (General Division) for service to the Indigenous community of Western Australia.

Pictured with former Hawkes Housemaster,  David Docwra in 1981

Mac has lived a life of service, both military and civil.

As an Army officer, he recruited, trained and led remote Indigenous soldiers for the Australian Army in the Kimberley and northern Australia for over 15 years, including operational border protection tasks when commanding Kimberley Squadron NORFORCE. He remains a strong advocate for remote Indigenous ex-servicemen.

For the past 20 years, he has continued his training and capacity building work with remote Indigenous communities in the Kimberley and western desert regions of WA in civil employment, particularly with remote Indigenous land management and cultural heritage ‘ranger’ programs, and leading successful remote Indigenous training, employment and capacity-building initiatives.

Mac continues his work with Indigenous people and has previously led Australian Army Indigenous units for many years (23 years service in the Regular Army and Army Reserve), including on important military operational service. For the past 25 years he has worked very closely with Mr Keith Payne VC AM (pictured below), Australia’s most highly decorated veteran, another strong advocate for Indigenous military service.  In 2014, Mac was honoured to meet the Queen in Buckingham Palace with Mr Payne.

Mac Jensen says, “Military operational service is important to the defence of our nation, and many old scholars continue to be involved in very important and inherently dangerous operational activities in various capacities…[current St Peter’s College] students who aspire to military service (ie defending their nation and its freedoms) should be aware that any operational or peacekeeping military service they participate in will be recognised and acknowledged by the School on these Memorial Hall Honour Boards”.

“Service, in its many forms, both civil and military, is a very strong value at SPSC, and ought to be encouraged and recognised at every opportunity.

I remember receiving the ‘Headmasters Prize for Service’ at the completion of Year 12 in 1981.  That meant a great deal to me and has had a significant influence on my career. That is the power of recognition, and a clear demonstration that you don’t have to be an outstanding scholar or sportsman to be recognised at SPSC.”

Honour Boards serve as a reminder to all who pass them of the acts of service, achievements and sacrifice of our old scholars. On behalf of the Headmaster, we encourage old scholars to contact us regarding their service in declared military and peacekeeping operations so that we can ensure these important Honour Boards are kept current.

Contact Bianca Harms, SPOC Secretary via email spoc@stpeters.sa.edu.au or 08 8404 0526