This site was the brainchild of the late Bob de Haas (Class of December 1967). He started with a vision of a class site but built a detailed site that provided a wonderful overview of the history of the Officer Cadet School and created the opportunity for classes to interact. Unfortunately, his untimely in August 2018 death created a massive hole.
The following is an extract of the eulogy presented by Paul Asbury at his funeral. It provides an insight to the establishment of this site.
‘Apart from the Army, over the years Bob managed a computer graphics company, established a web development company in the very early days of the World Wide Web. He was also a funeral director in Melbourne – which played havoc with his war neurosis PTSD.
In early 2002, Bob co-opted me to help him start up a web site for our OCS Class of December 1967.
This quickly morphed into a much larger web site encompassing all sixty- seven classes from 1952 -1985. This required contact with many previously unknown graduates many years senior or junior to us. This had its own rewards for us all.
Bob was also heavily involved in our old “Alma Mater” on the Mornington Peninsula. Firstly, he liaised with and cajoled the Point Nepean Trust to incorporate the overlooked history of the Officer Cadet School into the story of the site and the Quarantine Station in which the OCS was housed. Up to the end, Bob was still actively liaising with the new owner, Parks Victoria on behalf of all 3,544 officer graduates and the staff. ‘
To read the full Eulogy, click here.