Master of Ceremonies: President Elect Dr Carol Bond
Reflection: Past President Robert Fisher, on behalf of Rev Peter Hollingworth
President Philip Cornish welcomed Members, visitors and guests to the 38th Meeting of Rotary Melbourne for 2025-26 on Wednesday 22 April 2026. In particular, he welcomed Caroline Pilot, to be inducted as a Member at this meeting, and Guest Speaker Don Farrands KC, to speak on the topic Life on the Western Front – a Stretcher Bearer’s Perspective. A full list of guests attending the meeting is included later in this bulletin.
He then paid respects in memory of Past President Peter McCall who passed away suddenly on 21 April 26 following a long battle with Bone Cancer, noting that Peter’s memorial service details will be advised as soon as they are available. The transcript of this obituary is included in this bulletin.
He then called to the Podium, Marg Leser, to introduce Caroline Pilot. to be inducted as a Rotary Melbourne member. After the formalities of induction, Caroline delivered a brief address revealing her commitment to Rotary’s principles of Service Above Self.
In general business Philip reminded members of the importance of the Annual appeal, and noted that this years donations will help in building the corpus of the Rotary Melbourne Public Benevolent Institution (PBI). He went on to give a brief up date on the work of the Board, including a deep dive on Risk management.
Philip then invited the Chair for the Day, Stephen Lake, to introduce Don Farrands KC who provided a poignant, intimate account of World War I through the experiences of his grandfather, Nelson Ferguson. Unlike traditional military histories focused on strategy, this story centres on the gruelling reality of a stretcher bearer — a role defined by courage without a weapon.
While the concept of stretcher bearer dates to the Napoleonic era, the modern stretcher bearer — as a specialized, essential component of the battlefield medical team — was fully forged in the crucible of the First World War. The stretcher bearers had a very positive effect on the troops morale as they represented the hope of rescue and survival.
Allocated to ambulance divisions rather than regiments, they wore a red cross insignia and evacuated wounded from in front of the lines under the ‘protection’ of a white flag. In reality, the insignia and white flag made them targets for enemy snipers who ignored the Geneva Convention.
Don detailed the harrowing conditions of the trenches, where Ferguson and his comrades navigated deep mud and relentless shelling to rescue the wounded. Farrands highlights the profound psychological and physical toll of the "Great War," particularly the devastating impact of mustard gas. Ferguson was eventually blinded by a gas attack, a life-altering injury that shifted the narrative from the battlefield to a story of resilience and adaptation.
Despite the heroism displayed by the stretcher bearers they were specifically ruled as ineligible to receive the Victoria Cross.
By blending personal family archives with historical context, Farrands honoured the often overlooked bravery of non-combatant volunteers, offering a deeply human perspective on sacrifice, survival, and the enduring scars of war.
To view the recording of Don’s address, click here
Following question time and presentation of a gift of appreciation, Stephen Lake reminded members that next week’s lunch speaker at No.35 Sofitel, will be former NAB Chief Economist, Alan Oster sharing An Economists Local and Global Outlook.
After thanking visitors and guest for attending, as well as MC Carol Bond, Reflection giver, Robert Fisher, and the welcome and set up teams for their efforts, Stephen then closed the meeting.
To view the full meeting recording, click here
