Vale Brian Stanley      Deegan 

BRIAN STANLEY DEEGAN (SVC 1935-42)

16.10.1925 -2.07.2021        

What follows has been extracted from the Eulogy delivered by his Brian’s eldest son, Peter.

Brian was born in Hobart Tasmania on the October 16 1925 to Caroline and Stanley Deegan. He had an older sister Marie who is now deceased. 

Brian’s paternal great grandfather John Deegan sailed from Dublin on May 23, 1849 in the Hyperabad to Tasmania with 300 passengers. The journey took 95 days with loss of three lives. John served two years of a seven year sentence for gun running, commuted because he agreed to come to Australia as a free settler. Brian’s other great grandfather William Callaghan from County Mayo in Ireland was convicted of stealing 14 pounds from his master and transported to Australia in 1845! Brian was very proud of his Irish heritage and delighted in this history.

Brian was educated at St Virgil’s College where he was Head Prefect in his final year 1942 and he was also equal Dux of the College that year. He won a University scholarship. He graduated from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Engineering degree and after a further year of study, research and tutoring at the university, he left Hobart in 1948 to join the Weapons Research Establishment (WRE) at Salisbury in South Australia where he was to spend the bulk of his all his working life.  

In May 1948 he was sent at the age of 22 years as one of a small group of young scientists to England to work with the British at the Royal Aircraft Establishment Farnborough Hampshire to help with the preparation of the establishment of the rocket range at Woomera. Not a bad start for his first job! Little did he know at that time that his work would shape not only not only his professional life but also his personal life.

On New Year’s Eve of 1948, Brian met an Irish lass, Veronica Mary McVeigh at a dance at a Catholic young people’s club in England. They married on April 10 1950 in the parish of Camberley, in Surrey, England.  Their marriage extended over 71 years and gave life to four children – Peter, Michael, Mary and Paul.

Brian and Mary were blessed and sustained by their Catholic faith. Brian took an active role in all the parishes and schools with which  the family and children were associated. For many years the family  lived opposite the seminary at Rostrevor in South Australia and the Vincentian fathers were always welcomed into their home and were an important part of their family. They were like brothers to Brian  and uncles to his children. Brian and Mary became associates of the order which was a great honour.

Brian was a research scientist at WRE (Weapons Research Establishment) and he worked on developing targeted pilotless aircraft in a top secret collaboration with the British government. He was a member of the team that designed and built the Jindavik (‘the hunted one’) and he was very proud of the success of this project.

Brian was thoughtful and considerate of others. His mother and father instilled in him certain golden rules which he, in turn,  passed onto his four offspring. The first of these rules was do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Secondly a job worth doing is worth doing well. Another of the golden rules was that freedom is the liberty to do what you ought not necessarily what you want. 

Brian enjoyed life. He enjoyed playing bowls and playing the saxophone in a band at university. He loved socializing and had many dinner parties. He enjoyed family life and was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather He was also a valued friend and mentor to many. He was a true gentleman in every way. He was blessed with a happy calm disposition. He was extremely intelligent, humble and giving.

Unfortunately there was no 1942 St Virgil’s Year Book  - the year Brian was Head Prefect.   The photo below of Brian is in the 1940 Year Book.