Peter Stuart: a born leader

Peter Fitzallan MacDonald Stuart was born in 1894 in Rockhampton and attended RGS from 1903 - 1913. During this time, he was a talented athlete and demonstrated leadership from an early age. At the outbreak of World War I Peter Stuart, like many other young men around the country, enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force. He would not return home to his family and friends. This is Peter Stuart’s story.

Peter Fitzallan MacDonald Stuart excelled both in the classroom and sporting field during his years at RGS. He was active in many co-curricular activities including tennis, cricket, and rowing. He excelled at rugby, often described as an unselfish tower of strength to the team, and won the Archer Cup in 1911 and 1913. Peter was also heavily involved with cadets rising to the rank of Colour-Sergeant. In 1912 he travelled to Canada to represent RGS and Queensland at the Imperial Cadet Competition. The same year he was also captain of rowing and rugby. In his final year at RGS he was a Senior Day Boy and Prefect.

After school, Peter worked as a jackeroo on his uncle’s cattle property while waiting to enter Duntroon Military College. In support of this ambition, former Headmaster Mr Wheatley wrote, “he is a boy of enormous strength of character, fit to lead, with a good influence over his fellows. He will make an ideal soldier.”

Knowing entry to Duntroon would delay his joining the war effort, Peter enlisted with the Australian Imperial Force, aged 20, on 1 September 1914. He was assigned to the 9th Battalion, a part of the First Division to arrive in Egypt in 1914. After extensive training, he was deployed to the Gallipoli campaign. At Gallipoli, Peter was wounded and transferred to Malta. Once recovered, he re-joined his Battalion in Gallipoli where he continued to serve until the campaign ended in March 1915. Peter returned to Egypt before making his way north to the Somme region in France. In February 1916, he was transferred to the 49th Battalion where he was joined by fellow Queenslanders. Peter was now promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. In June 1916 he attended a training programme to become a bombing officer. Peter joined the Australian contingent in the taking of Mouquet Farm located in France. Here he was killed in action on 4 September 1916.

Several years later, Peter’s family received a commemorative medallion, also known as a Dead Man’s Penny, presented to the next of kin of all British Empire service personnel to remember those who were killed as a result of the war. The family displayed the Penny at the family cattle property “The Oaks”. The property had changed ownership several times and with scrubby growth, the Penny was all but lost. The recent owners stumbled across the Penny, and it was returned to Peter’s family.

In August 2022, Peter’s family contacted the School wishing to donate his Dead Man’s Penny. The links to the School and Peter’s family run deep. Peter’s brothers and other family members would go on to attend the School. Peter’s grandfather, Peter Fitzallan MacDonald was one of the first subscribers to the School and the original 25m swimming pool was dedicated in this grandfather’s memory.

The Penny now resides in the School’s Long Room. Peter Stuart is a Grammarian forever.

1916 RGS Capricornus magazine, in honour of Peter Stuart’s memory.

We Remember Peter Stuart

At The Rockhampton Grammar School’s Secondary School ANZAC Day Service this year, the School to honoured the memory of past student, and fallen World War I soldier, Peter Fitzallan MacDonald Stuart.

The frame includes:

• The story – the life of Peter Stuart, both in his years as a student at RGS and the years that followed as a jackaroo and soldier.

• The photograph – Peter pictured in 1913, RGS tennis team captain.

• The Dead Man’s Penny – This commemorative medallion was presented to the next of kin of all British Empire service personnel to remember those who were killed as a result of World War 1.

• The cross – The survivors of the 49th Australian Infantry Battalion erected this wooden cross in memory of the men (including Peter) who died fighting at Mouquet Farm. The farm was the site of nine separate attacks by Australian divisions and cost them over 11,000 casualties.

Lest we forget

Cameron honours past students

Cameron Porter (RGS 2001) always had an interest in the Australian Defence Force. Returning to RGS during the term, as a guest for the RGS Secondary School ANZAC Service, Cameron was paying his respects to fallen RGS past student Peter Stuart and all other past students who have served in war. Cameron also met with RGS students interested in pursuing a career in Defence.

“It was a privilege to honour the memory of Lieutenant Peter Stuart. He was an extraordinary Australian and an exemplary Grammarian, someone we should all seek to emulate,’’ Cameron said.

Cameron appreciates the ongoing relevance of ANZAC Day.

“We’ve just been through a period of 20 years of constant military operations, our largest numbers since Vietnam, and we continue to acknowledge and appreciate the service of people who have made significant sacrifices,’’ Cameron said.

“ANZAC Day is not something to be taken for granted. It’s remarkably different.”

As a young boy growing up in Mackay, Cameron attended war commemorations in Mackay, before arriving at RGS as a boarder and visiting military displays during major exercises. Cameron then joined the Australian Army after graduating from RGS.

Lieutenant Colonel Porter is now Deputy Director Space Domain Awareness at Defence Space Command.

“Space command is an exciting place to work. I particularly enjoy the international aspects,’’ said Cameron, who has a key role in project management.

“Nothing you do in space is isolated to a single geographical location. Anything you do in space has potential global impact.”

Based in Canberra, Cameron said it was amazing where he had ended up.

“The advice I give to junior folks is to make luck for yourself. You can do this by preparing for things, because luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,’’ Cameron said.

“Not all the things you prepare for will bear fruit. Sometimes the opportunities just never come but other opportunities do.”

Cameron is grateful for his career in the Australian Defence Force – a career that has built special friendships and wide ranging experiences.