THE late Gough Whitlam touched many lives, today Dubbo's Gordon Jaques reflected on the time he spent with him at university.
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He was saddened to hear of the former prime minister's death and wanted to pay tribute to a great man.
Mr Jaques met Mr Whitlam as a freshman studying law in 1939 at St Paul's College at the University of Sydney.
Mr Whitlam was a second year law student, captain of the debating team and him and Mr Jacques became good friends.
Mr Jaques was also a friend to the Dovey family, particularly Bill and his sister Margaret Dovey.
Margaret Dovey of course came to be Gough's wife of almost 70 years.
Mr Jaques said he "looked a leader" even in university.
"What I liked about him is that he strode through St. Paul's College as though he owned the place," he said.
"He got the room next to his at college made into a living room and had an archway cut out of it.
"Everyone liked him and he was extraordinarily pleasant to everyone."
- - Gordon Jaques
"That was very typical of Gough."
The future prime minister was a well-liked member of the college, said Mr Jaques, and everyone looked up to him.
"He was such an outstanding, handsome, tall fellow and an extraordinarily nice man," he said.
"Everyone liked him and he was extraordinarily pleasant to everyone."
When war broke out on September 3 1939 Mr Jaques and Mr Whitlam chatted about the war after watching a movie.
He turned to Mr Whitlam and said "Gough this is going to be fun."
Mr Jaques signed up for flying lessons the next day and entered the air force as a bomber aircraft pilot.
Mr Whitlam became a flight lieutenant and bomber navigator a few years later.
As a prime minister, Mr Jaques said he did a great job for the country.
"When he got there he certainly did things- he got things done," he said.
It was very strange that Mr Whitlam had such a passion for Labour considering his upbringing.
His father Fred was the Commonwealth Crown Solicitor.
Mr Jaques said he supported Mr Whitlam as a candidate for prime minister begrudgingly because of his strict liberal views.
He said he wanted Mr Whitlam to win, but he did not want the Labour Party to be in control.
Mr Whitlam was a definite family man, said Mr Jaques.
"When Gough became prime minister Bill Dovey was made a state supreme court judge," he said.
"Looking after the family, that's typical of Gough."
Mr Jaques also became good friends with Mr Whitlam's son Tony.
Mr Whitlam would often chat with Mr Jaques when they met and they maintained their friendship as best they could, Mr Jacques said.
Mr Jaques said Me Whitlam was never too important to speak to friends from his younger days.