From Garry Shead's Kangaroo series

SINCE 1976, when the main research into Lawrence and Kangaroo started in earnest, I had always wondered how it would end, how the truth would finally emerge.

I was certain it would come out - a secret like this could not be kept forever. I just didn't know how or when.

On October 13, 1993, I got a phone-call from Andrew Moore. He had just received a letter from the archivist of The King's School, Parramatta (one of Australia's leading private boys' schools).

The gravamen of the archivist's letter was startling.

On a recent trip into town, the archivist, Peter Yeend, had gone to the State Library in Macquarie Street, and in its bookshop spotted a remaindered copy of Andrew's book on the Old Guard.

Having read it, he wrote to the publishers, the University of NSW Press, enclosing a letter to Andrew. They forwarded Yeend's letter to Andrew.

In it Yeend told Andrew that his family had been "very friendly" with JT Lang (the Premier in Andrew's book, The Secret Army and the Premier [University of NSW Press, Sydney 1989]).

He said he believed that Andrew was "spot on" with many of his observations concerning Lang and the secret army (the Old Guard). And it was about the make-up of "the army" that he was writing to him now.

Yeend wrote: "Your index shows 54 men connected with The King's School as old boys or parents (or both)."

He went on to say that one old boy called Barton had told him that he had had over 200 men ready in 1932 if called upon to oust Lang. They were former Light Horsemen, he said (see re Brigadier-General Macarthur-Onslow, aka "Colonel Ennis", above).

"Also you will be aware," added Yeend, "that DH Lawrence stayed in a cottage provided by the Friend family who publicly denied they told Lawrence about the rural army, etc. I find the denial difficult to accept but the denial was made and I have no right to question it."

He went on:

I knew Walter Friend well and his brother-in-law NH Wright [who] once told me he was involved in a secret, more country-based [body], against Lang. I was also told by GBH Sutherland (TKS and confidant of WS Friend) that GBHS was involved in the plans to overthrow Lang.

 

Yeend told Andrew that if he were interested "in pursuing the above", he could be contacted at The King's School.