Scotch College

Dr Mark Johnston

The formidable publication record of Dr Mark Johnston

A few weeks ago, upon learning that Mark Johnston was heading to Canberra for a book launch, I asked around the South Study (where my work desk is located, amongst other History and Social Science teachers at Scotch) as to whether the book about to be launched had been written by Mark.

Most of my colleagues knew that Mark had been working on a book about the Battle of El Alamein, but not much more. When Mark returned to Scotch a few days later, I asked him about his recent publication and was amazed at the significance of the book he, and his co-author had just had published.

I was also impressed with the list of his other publications -this is his fourth book - and thought I could write a short article about Mark's most recent achievements. 'Alamein: The Australian Story' (Oxford University Press) was co-authored by Dr Mark Johnston and Dr Peter Stanley, who is the principal historian at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

The book was launched on 23 October, the sixtieth anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of El Alamein. The book is about the crucial role of the 9th Australian Division in the Battle of El Alamein, which Mark tells me is one of the great battles of history and which was undoubtedly a turning point of World War Two.

Pictured L to R: Dr Mark Johnston and Dr Peter Stanley sign copies of their new book.

Most Australians know about the battles at Tobruk and Kokoda, but little significance has been given to El Alamein in history books, or indeed in the press over many years. Mark's book tries to redress this and uses a slightly unusual narrative style of giving both Australian and German perspectives of the battle. 'The Age', in its review of October 20, describe this style as an 'impressive kaleidoscope'.

Mark told me that, in researching the material, he and Peter used many sources not used in previous work on the Battle of El Alamein.

Letters and diaries of soldiers from lower ranks, German records in the Imperial War Museum in London, German ultra-intercepts and German and British records from the British Museum were studied over a five year period.

Mark related that he and Peter discovered in their research in Britain that the British commanders at the time of the battle and also Winston Churchill had acknowledged in archival records that the Australian soldiers were central to the allied victory at El Alamein. This fact is rarely acknowledged by British historians and little known in Australia.

Unfortunately, at the time of this book launch, Australia was reeling from the horrific Bali bombings and there was controversy over the Governor General, Rev. Peter Hollingworth's attendance at El Alamein to mark the anniversary of the battle. Many people in Australia believed that the Governor General should have been in Bali representing the nation at the official memorial services rather than be in El Alamein. It must be difficult to please everyone in such a situation. However, it should be noted that there were many reports of the service at El Alamein in the Australian press that spoke of the very moving ceremony and of the wonderful speech the Governor General made at the special memorial service.

It may interest the Scotch community to know that Dr Mark Johnston actually wrote a draft of one of the speeches the Governor General delivered at El Alamein, a huge honour.

Many readers may also be interested in the impressive list of guests at the book launch. Adrian Clunies-Ross, now Chairman of the Council of the Australian War Memorial and ex-Army General, was one of four Australian Army Generals at the launch, another being General Peter Leahy, the current head of the Australian Army.

Another guest was a granddaughter of Major General Sir Alan Ramsay, who commanded the Australian Artillery at El Alamein. Sir Alan was the father of Scotch boys, and two of his descendants are currently at Scotch.

An annual prize given to a Scotch cadet is named in his honour.

Many Old Scotch Collegians fought at El Alamein. Some of them died there. As a school community we should feel very proud that an historian of such distinction is working with the current students as well as completing such a highly acclaimed war history. Mark's passion for, and detailed knowledge of the war is reflected in the very high esteem in which he is held by the boys.

Heather Lacy
Staff