G is for George Pollard Kay: “Letters from Bob”

April 2025 A to Z blogging challenge

Apr 07, 2025

In 1920 my grandfather, Geoff de Crespigny, in Upper IV at Geelong Grammar School, was awarded a school prize, a book with the title “Letters from Bob” about a Grammar boy who had served with the Royal Flying Corps.

George Pollard Kay (1896 – 1917), known as ‘Bob’, attended Geelong Grammar from 1912 to 1915. He became a school prefect and house captain. He was talented at sport and academically gifted.

In February 1916 he sailed for England, one of a group of nine Grammar boys intending to join up. From the time he left Australia Bob wrote to his father regularly.

On his arrival in England in March Bob joined the Royal Flying Corps. He developed appendicitis, however, which set back his training, but in October 1916 he was posted to 43 Squadron at Netheravon in Wiltshire. In November he was posted to 65 Squadron at Wyton in Cambridgeshire, then in January 1917, assigned to number 46 Squadron, he arrived in France.

On 4 March 1917, flying a Nieuport 20, he was shot down. His observer, second lieutenant Walter Willox Steuart, died of wounds. The victory was claimed by Lieutenant Josef Flink of Jasta 18, a “hunting squadron” (fighter squadron) of the Luftstreitkräfte, the air arm of the Imperial German Army.

On 27 June 1917 Bob was badly injured when his plane, a Sopwith Pup, went into a spin and crashed. He died soon afterwards.

His father, Mr. G.A. Kay of ‘d’Estaville’, Kew, published “Letters from Bob“, an account of Bob’s service in the Royal Flying Corps. He also donated memorial stained-glass windows at Geelong Grammar School and Kew Holy Trinity Church.

The window in the Geelong Grammar Chapel depicts St Michael and St Gabriel. It is inscribed “AMDG* In memory of George Pollard Kay Killed in France June 29th 1917”. Designed by the stained glass artist William Montgomery (1850-1927), it was unveiled on 22 June 1919.**

The window at Geelong Grammar in memory of George Pollard Kay

Bob was a capable writer, and his letters to his father are a pleasure to read. It is sad that he died so young.

Pages from the book including a picture of Bob taken June 1917

*AMDG is an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ‘Ad maiorem Dei gloriam‘, ‘for the greater glory of God’. The tag, usually associated with the Roman Catholic Church, is the present motto of the Society of
Jesus, the Jesuit Order.

**Montgomery also completed a second window in honour of Mr Kay, the rose window of St. Michael at the Kay family’s parish church, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Kew.

The window at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Kew, in memory of George Pollard Kay.

Plaque for memorial window at Holy Trinity Church

Geelong Advertiser (Vic.), Wednesday 2 January 1918, page 3

"LETTERS FROM BOB. "
In February, a number of the senior boys from the Geelong Grammar School sailed for the Front. Amongst those was George Pollard Kay, school prefect, captain of Perry House, captain of the eighteen, and member of the cricket and athletic teams and school crew. He joined the Flying Corps in England, made rapid progress, and was promoted captain. On June 21st, 1917, as the result of an accident whilst flying in France, he lost his life. Under the title of "Letters from Bob," his father has published his son's correspondence from the time he left Australia. To this the Rev. F. K. Brown, M.A. headmaster of the Geelong Grammar School, has written an appreciative introduction, in which he says: "Bob, as he was affectionately called by his friends . . . entered keenly into all sides of school life, and won the affection of all with whom he came in contact. His contemporaries appreciated his good humor, singleness of purpose and strong character, and relied upon his sound judgment and common sense. The younger boys admired him, not only for his physical prowess, but also for his qualities of mind and heart. He was always absolutely reliable and straight, and fearless with the fearlessness which is born of a clear conscience and blameless life. . . . His letters show literary merit, and for a boy of 19, shrewd observation and insight. His love of nature led him to take a keen and active interest in the school museum, where he did much valuable work in classifying and labelling the specimens after their removal to the new buildings. I shall always regard the school museum as a memorial of him, as he has left the mark of his personality upon it. . . . I had pictured for him a career of great usefulness. He seemed to have that combination of gifts which would have made him specially helpful in contributing towards the solution of those difficult problems which the future has in store for Australia."

Sydney Stock and Station Journal (NSW), Friday 11 January 1918, page 3

HUMAN LETTERS
George Pollard Kay was a healthy athletic, intelligent, well-educated young Australian, full of the love of clean life and world-adventure. He was School Prefect, sports captain, and won the Cuthbertson Essay Prize while at Geelong Grammar School. Life was full of joy and promise.
Came the war, and he with other Geelong Grammar School boys went to England to enlist. After considerable training in England, he got his wings and joined the Royal Flying Corps. Awhile there was in France, he won to Flight Commander, and then — dreamless, deathless death. He was one of so many that meant so much to Australia. And yet their lives and deaths shall Inspire posterity.
While on service, he wrote regularly and often to his dad. Now the letters are given to the world in book-form, with a finely sympathetic introduction by the Rev. F. E. Brown, Headmaster of Geelong Grammar School. They are free, boyish, natural letters that ring real aud true. There is not much of description in them, and you feel the shadow of the censor is over all, but they are human and will deeply appeal to many throughout Australia. They are the letters of a boy who was keen on his job, loved his country, and was delightfully enthusiastic over the service and the honor and privilege of being there. You get to know and love him through his letters. A joyously brave spirit shines through them and suffuses the book.
Here's one extract : "I had a rattling good scrap the other day with four Hun scouts over their side. My poor observer was hit and died that night. He was a Scotch boy, and such a fine chap, dad; just as well for me he was too, poor fellow. I have just spent a considerable time writing to his sister (his next of kin), telling her what happened and how fine he was. I am enclosing the first rough go at that letter, as it will serve better than describing the fight again. It was a very hard letter to write, as you can see, but- I think it must help tremendously to know that he went out so well. There is nothing very dreadful in dying like that, is there?"
I like that, don't you? Then again, this touch : "I can't get home to see you on leave. Still this old war is not going on for ever — America definitely declared war by to-day's paper — and when It is over and we all go home think of the topping time we'll have. You and I have seen so little of one another, dad, my being always at school, but we will be the greatest pals that ever where when I get home."
NEARER TO GOD.
A beautiful phase of life over there is expressed beautifully : "To-day is Easter Sunday. I can imagine you going to Church and wish I were with you — although I wouldn't really be any where else but here until the show is over, for anything. This morning three others and I were on an early stunt. We got up quite early — a beautiful sunny morning, with a considerable frost on the ground. We went ever to the sheds and took Holy Communion in our flying kit. as the Padre was holding an early service in the transport shed. As soon as we had received the communion we went out and off to the lines. I think I shall always remember It — the great open shed half full of tenders, the Padre in his white surplice, just slipped over his uniform, and the simple little crucifix and white flowers on the rough bench that served as an altar: and yet I felt that God was perhaps nearer to us there than if we had been in a great cathedral. A few minutes later we were soaring under the blue dome of His greatest temple."
"Letters from Bob," by Captain George Pollard Kay, Flight Commander 46th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, published by Melvile and Mullen Pty., Ltd., Melbourne, price 4/2 post free.

Shepparton Advertiser (Vic.), Monday 7 October 1918, page 1

AN AUSTRALIAN AIRMAN.
The same pathetic interest that attached to "Letters of an Airman," being the letters of the late Geoffrey Wall, of Wesley College, Melbourne, and afterwards of the R.F.C. characterises "Letters from Bob," a collection of the letters of the late Captain George Pollard Kay, formerly of Geelong, and afterwards of the R.F.C.. Singularly enough both lads went from Australia to Europe by the same boat, the R.M.S. Medina, though not on the same voyage, Mr. Kay leaving in February, 1916, while Mr. Wall left in November of the same year. Both underwent training at Oxford and Netheravon, and both were killed by unexplained "chashes." Mr Wall met his end in England on the eve of leaving for the front, but Mr. Kay was in France, and had had several engagements with enemy airmen-on one of which his observer was shot dead-before he was killed by his machine "spinning" and falling from a height of 2000 feet. The Medina herself, by which both travelled to England, was after wards torpedoed in the English Channel by an enemy submarine. This collection of letters reveals a frank fearlessness, a simplicity of outlook, and a directness of aim that bespeak a noble character. The letters of the young flight-commander make one realise with sadness the bitter truth that war takes the best and not the worst. Australia can ill spare such young men as Geof frey Wall and George Pollard Kay. Prefixed to the young airman's letters to his father is an introduction by the Rev. F. E Brown, headmaster of Geelong Grammar School, whose account of G. P. Kay's school life discloses the same essential greatness and simplicity of personality that is revealed in the young man's open and natural letters. He describes the voyage to England-which was not devoid of exciting incident-his period of training in France and then his brief and gallant war service. He went to France in January, 1917, and was killed in the following June. His last letter to his father proudly noted the fact that he had been promoted to be flight-commander. A few days later the end came. All the deepest tragedy of war-which takes the young and brave-and leaves the old and cautious, seems to be epitomised in these bright outpourings of a singularly attractive personality. Australia may well be proud of such a son.

Anne’s Family History

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Anne’s Family History

G is for George Pollard Kay: “Letters from Bob”

April 2025 A to Z blogging challenge

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