Wallingford Berks Line

Sent by Sandra Masson, Coal Point Printed in "NEWCASTLE HERALD", NEWCASTLE.

SCHOOLDAYS OVER FOR TOP BOWLS ADDICT

Lance Lovelock, who has retired as Principal of Eleebana Public School, is now able to do something he has not been able to do since he was a pre-schooler.

He will be able to wake up of a Monday morning and know he does not have to go to school. "The only time I didn't have to go to school was when I was in the Army in World War II, but even then I had to get up early," he said. "But now I've retired, the hours will change and that's all. I will still be active, and not sit around dozing in the sun. "I've got a caravan and boat, so I may just do a few trips to different parts of Australia, and visit some of the places where I taught."

He said the LOVELOCK FAMILY came to Australia from Berkshire in England via Pennsylvania to New York thence to Melbourne, Victoria in the year 1853. His branch of the family settled in the Riverina, and one of his uncles wrote a play called "THE MAN THEY COULD MOT HANG". "My uncle, Arthur Sterry, was apparently quite a character, and apart from writing this play, used to travel from one town to another in one to three night stands," he said. "The play was based on a true incident in England, and my uncle's efforts were later turned into a film."

I was born in Junee and first went to school there," he said. "On entering High School I had to go by train every day to WAGGA WAGGA. Eventually, I entered the Sydney Teachers' College."

Mr. Lovelock's first appointment was to the Provisional School at WALBUNDRIE WEST, in the Riverina, then two years later he was transferred to a small school near HOLBROCK, Wantagong. He then went to another small school but stayed only for a few months before enlisting in the A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Forces). His posting was 103 Anti-tank Regiment at Tomago. "I was put in charge of a two pounder anti-tank gun beside the colliery at Glenrock Lagoon," he said.

"The Unit then travelled on open, flat-topped railway trucks to South Australia, then to Alice Springs and Darwin. Service in the Islands to the north of Australia followed. "By this time, most of the original trainees with me had transferred to 2/2 Tank Attack Regiment, while I underwent training as a paratrooper at Richmond Air Base."

"I served in action, but never had to parachute into an attack once, so I guess it was all more or less a waste of time. At the end of the war I was shipped back from Borneo, where I saw action at Balikpapan. I resumed my teaching career, and spent the next three years at CARINDA, in the WALGETT district, and from there I was transferred to SWANSEA PUBLIC SCHOOL.

After four years, Mr. Lovelock went to GATESHEAD as deputy principal in 1952, then to BLACKSMITH in 1962. In 1969 he was posted to ELEEBANA.

He has always been interested in sport, and while at Gateshead school was secretary of the Local PSAAA for three years.

"I've always been particularly interested in bowls and have had more than my fair share of success," he said. "In 1965 with school Inspector Bert Gauntand and a friend, Eric McLean, I shared the Newcastle District Triples Championship and in 1969, I was runner-up in the Newcastle District Singles."

Now he has retired, Mr. Lovelock is concerned solely with pursuing his sporting interests and leading a varied, active life.

"I enjoyed teaching, every minute of it, but I'm very happy that I've reached the stage where I can do things I want to do and not things I have to do," he said.