John Andrew Pattison, better known as Jack and now 92, worked at the CSIRO in Deniliquin.
It was in Deniliquin that Mr Pattison was reunited with school mate Lawrence Joseph O’Sullivan, whose life he is credited with saving.
He was invested with a Certificate of Merit on August 30, 1943 for saving Mr O’Sullivan from drowning in the Campaspe River.
It was presented to him by then Victorian Governor Sir Winston Dugan, who presented 24 Royal Humane Society awards for 1942-43 at Government House that day.
Both boys remained in contact after leaving school and were successful in their chosen careers.
Mr Pattison qualified as an accountant and became an administrator at the CSIRO, while Mr O’Sullivan became a renowned fencer around Deniliquin.
They got together often when Mr Pattison was stationed at Deniliquin, and reminisced about the school and the near fateful day on the Campaspe River.
Their journeys separated when Mr Pattison moved to Melbourne.
Sadly Mr O’Sullivan only attained the age of 68. He died on December 27, 1997 and was buried at Deniliquin.
Mr Pattison and Mr O’Sullivan both attended the Kyneton Marist Brothers school during the World War II years.
Also at the school was Mr Pattison’s brother Tom, and they were the sons of police Sergeant Tom Pattison and were a well known family in the community.
Before his life saving efforts, Mr Pattison came to prominence during the 1940 annual sports day.
He was the winner of the 100 yard and 75 yard races, had a winning broad jump of 11 feet and eight inches (3.5m) and equalled J Hughes in the high jump at three foot nine inches (1.14m).
He topped it all off when his team won the Jim Spain football shield in 1943.
Part of the school year was to qualify at swimming and resuscitation. Mr Pattison and 24 others qualified for both.
He and Tom Walsh later took over as instructors and managed to pass another 37 boys. They were under the tutelage of Brother Boniface who was ‘‘sports mad’’ for all disciplines.
‘‘I recall we spent some regular school time on the school veranda stab kicking to each other under Bonny’s coaching,’’ Mr Pattison remembers.
‘‘And he left us all with the lasting memory of how to keep your head over the ball and drop it properly.’’
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