Major General Professor John Pearn, Brisbane Grammar School, 1957

Old Boy Major General Professor John Pearn AO RFD ’57 has made a difference in the lives of many, through more than five decades of work as an academic. In 2009 Prof Pearn was awarded an Order of Australia (AO) for service to medicine.

His world-leading work in preventing child drownings saw him presented with Royal Life Saving Society’s top award by the Queen at Buckingham Palace in 2016. Major General Pearn undertook a parallel career with the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps, serving for 38 years, including three years as the Surgeon General of the Australian Defence Force. He was guest speaker at the 2017 BGS Speech Day.​