A TRIBUTE TO DAVE

Dave Argent arrived at ASOPA early in 1962, no doubt, eyeing up those who would join him as a member of the 1962 intake - just as the other 60 qualifiers were also looking over the field.

Depending on where one fitted into the intake they would have observed a burly, good looking young buck with a great smile and startling eyes (the girls). The "short strides brigade" would have seen the burly bloke and probably recognised the hidden athlete while the veterans waited to see how he went in the bar before passing judgement. He seemed to pass all measures of those tests.

Events in the canteen were where Dave's personality established itself and he demonstrated his willingness to live dangerously when he snapped a cigarette out of the lips of one "Moose" Davis.....the distance he kept between himself and Moose after that event was the greatest in their 48 years association.

In the lecture room he also established his presence in spectacular fashion by refusing to complete Rossy's psych test   "I know my IQ and don't see who else needs to know" was impressive - even if it did jeopardise his continuation on the course.

Where Dave flourished (and was unassailably superior to his peers) was in the area of music where he proved a superior pianist of the entertaining kind- needless to say he made short work of the flute used to measure classroom suitability in that discipline.

But it was on the "sniff" field where Dave made his reputation - at ASOPA he was a key player in the college's success at a high provincial level. In Papua New Guinea, very senior officers managed to arrange transport so that Dave would be available for the weekend 'sniff' game in the District Centres......and often the transport home went missing for a week or so.

Dave and Kerry also managed to establish a well deserved reputation as great card players and cleaned out a couple of communities at postings in the Islands and Highlands.

Despite all of the attractions and skills which went to make up the personality of Dave Argent, it took less than twelve months for Kerry to bring him to heel and they were married early in 1963.

Inevitably, family followed and the Argent family's devotion to its members has been amply demonstrated in the past difficult two years of Dave's ill health.

Dave will be very much missed by his family and those others of us who had the good luck to know him well.


by Henry Bodman

Dave (second from left) and his mates carrying Henry during ASOPA days.