Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Mr B.J. Gollan was my 5th class teacher at Shortland Public School in Newcastle NSW in 1968. He was an exceptional teacher who was caring and patient with his pupils and always had words of encouragement for us all whether they were deserved or not. He spoke occasionally of his war experiences but mainly about his time as a POW of the Japanese in a mine in Japan. He didn't dwell on anything nor attempt to sensationalise his experience and the tone of his words was totally appropriate for 5th class kids.
He had a strong dislike for anything Japanese and drove an Australian made car. On one occasion he brought to the class some small items that he had gathered during his time working in the mine and included with these was a small metal pipe that a guard had discarded that he told us had been used by the guard to smoke opium.
My fondest memory of him was towards the end of the school year when he told all the class to go into the library to select a book from a pile on the desk. We went into the library in small groups of a few at a time and picked a book, the intention he told us was that the books would be donated.
I can't remember exactly when, but later he gave each of us the book we had picked as a farewell present. Each book was signed and dated December 1968 by him.
I still have the book in my collection today.
In 1980 I joined the Australian Regular Army and served my enlistment in Townsville in the 2/4 Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment. I often think of Mr Gollan from all those years ago and value to this day the principles and values he stood for. He was a gentleman.