Whether two classmates from the Class of 1942 catching up constitutes a reunion or not, we could not resist this headline. Almost certainly our two oldest Old Boys caught up over lunch on June 19, courtesy of Norman Gilberthorpe’s initiative and some OBU coordination. Professor Geoffrey Kellerman AO (97yrs, left above) was the School Dux, excelling in Math, Physics and Chemistry with first class honours in the last two subjects. After School, Geoffrey graduated top of medicine at SydU in 1951. Following post graduate work in London and New York, he served as lecturer and later Associate Professor of Biochemistry at Sydney and Monash Universities. Geoffrey then became Foundation Professor of Medical Biochemistry in the new Faculty of Medicine at Newcastle University, being part of the new and experimental medical education movement that has led to so much innovation and progress in the international sphere. While serving as Dean, he was involved in the then revolutionary enrolment of aboriginal students into the course. Since retirement from the University, Geoffrey spent 25 years working in the hospital clinical biochemistry service.  He has influenced generations of medical students in understanding life and disease at the fundamental, molecular level. Geoffrey received an AO in 1990 for service to medical education, particularly in the field of biochemical research. 

Norman Gilberthorpe (98yrs, right above) was a Prefect, a member of the First VIII and a very capable student achieving first class passes in Math I, Math II and Physics. After School Norman served in the RAAF and subsequently completed a Bachelor of Engineering at SydU, before embarking on an exceptional mining career which took him to Cobar, Broken Hill, various other Australian states and overseas to England, Holland and home again. Companies included Rio Tinto, a Bristol/Shell joint venture and Aberfoyle as he progressed to CEO and Chairman roles. He has worked across a broad range of commodities including lead, zinc, silver, tin, tungsten, beach sands, coal and in electrolytic smelting. Norman was involved in a consulting business in the USA, UK and Australia before retiring in 1996.  The catch up brought back memories of their time at High, classmates, teachers and of course WWII.