Happy Birthday to the following students  celebrating a Birthday this week 

Ivy D, Tilly G, Faith K, Liam R, Anna V, Saxon H, Cooper D

Special Birthday for Ella C's (1RC) Great Grandmother who turns 100

Great Granny (GG)  and Ella's name sake is a war widow and veteran herself - this is a piece posted by the Department of Veterans' Affairs Minister on Monday - 

Happy birthday to Ella Clark who was born in Sydney in 1922. Today, she turns 100!

At age 19, Ella joined the Australian Women’s Army Service (AWAS) in Paddington, Sydney, in January 1942, attaining the rank of corporal before her discharge in November 1945.

Ella was largely based in Brisbane, Toowoomba and Esk in Queensland, and worked as a highly trained stenographer and typist/secretary to staff officers and senior headquarters staff. As a result, she knew many national secrets, even where and when her new husband Harry was going to be deployed. Harry tried to prise the details from her but Ella never divulged the information!

Ella was stationed in Sydney when the Japanese midget submarines attacked on the night of 31 May/1 June 1942, and the AWAS were told to save their irreplaceable typewriters and take them to the shelter. The Army also attempted to teach Ella how to shoot the ·303 SMLE (Lee Enfield) service rifle but gave up and thought she was more dangerous to the enemy with the stenographer’s pen and typewriter. Ella recalls that typing up the KIA (Killed in Action) and MIA (Missing in Action) letters to families was emotionally hard.

Ella’s brothers also served. Her eldest brother's ship was one of five sunk off Nauru by the German commerce raiders Orion and Komet during December 1940, and he spent most of the war in a German POW Camp for merchant marine personnel. Another brother was a commando in the Libyan Desert, and her youngest brother was stationed in Darwin through the bombing raids.

Ella married Harry Clark in December 1943, and after a very short honeymoon, she did not see him until after the war. She then raised her 3 children and spent time volunteering at their school. When her children were older, Ella worked in hotel services at the Dandenong Hospital, then at an egg production farm and as grandchildren arrived, she became a carer for a second time around. Sadly, Harry passed away in 1997.

Those who know Ella say she is a very wise woman who could give advice in how to live a peaceful, honest, and honourable life. She lived totally independently until she was 93 years old. A natural redhead when younger, Ella believes that is why she has survived so long – she has true Scottish stubbornness in her bones. Ella has never smoked, drank alcohol or driven a car. She used to walk everywhere and was also an avid gardener.