Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The following is an email from Peter Atkins to the Perth Modern School's History Centre in 2020.

"Thank you very much for the information regarding my father.

The following is a brief description of my Dad’s life after leaving school.

In 1939 he joined the Navy Reserve and was then sent to England to serve in the Royal Navy. He spent most of the war on convoy escort ships in the Atlantic, most significantly HMS Wild Goose. It was when serving on this ship that he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross in June 1944 for "Outstanding courage and skill shown on HMS Wild Goose in an operation carried out by the Second Support Group in the Atlantic in the course of which 6 submarines were sunk in 10 days" He received the medal from King George VI.

He met and married an English lady, Emily Joan Whitmill and they returned to settle in Perth in 1946.

He completed his Perth Uni degree in Electrical Engineering and joined what was then the PMG.

In 1957 he was promoted to a senior Public Service position in Canberra, then not long after with his new family relocated to the UK for 6 months where he furthered his academic qualifications.

Returning to Australia he joined the Melbourne office of the Australian Weather Bureau as an Assistant Director, then in 1963 took up a new position in Darwin as Assistant Administrator with the Northern Territory Administration. A significantly important and highly responsible job, which as well as the departmental duties included government representation on the then NT Legislative Council.

Unfortunately, at the age of only 46 he suffered a massive fatal heart attack passing away on 26 October 1967.

He was well liked and respected in the Top End with the Darwin Sailing Club, of which he was the patron, dedicating the original part of their new clubhouse, The Alan Atkins Wing. It was opened by the then PM John Gorton in 1968.

I have no doubt that if he had survived he would have had a long and successful Public Service and business career. His wish was eventually to retire to his birthplace Perth.

My Mum passed away in 2018 age 98.

Thanks again for your kind assistance and it will be certainly ok if you wish to use this information for other purposes."

This story comes from Dr Trevelyan (Ted) Palmer who attended Perth Modern School between 1938 and 1940. Alan Atkins was a final year student in 1938 when Ted was in his first year. Ted joined the RAAF in WW2 and served as a navigator in 148 (Special Duties) Squadron, RAF. After the war he became a surgeon.

“I would like to pay tribute to School Captain Alan Atkins and George Pestell, Prefect 1938. Both were wonderful role models to 1st year students, and used to look out for us and both helped considerably on the athletic field. I later met with Alan Atkins at the Royal Perth Hospital in 1953 when he was a patient of mine. When George Pestell returned from surgical studies in England in 1953, he helped me get started in surgery, and he remained a lifelong friend and colleague. This was a great opportunity for me to repay 1938 favours."

https://www.perthmoderniansociety.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Perth-Modernian-Society-Newsletter-June-2021-EDM.pdf#page=6