British school registers and rolls of honor

[Stanley_C_Jenkins]

Dick, I have a transcript of the 1914-18 memorial for Witney Grammar School (now called The Henry Box School), together with two more names I've discovered in the course of my research on the school's history. Would it be appropriate to post them here?

Jane

Why not post the list anyway and ask for comments - this may produce some new information.

[rflory]

Jane wrote:

Dick, I have a transcript of the 1914-18 memorial for Witney Grammar School (now called The Henry Box School), together with two more names I've discovered in the course of my research on the school's history. Would it be appropriate to post them here?

Jane: Fine with me. Dick Flory

[janecavell]

Thanks Dick and Stanley

Here, then, is the text that appears on the memorial at The Henry Box School, Witney (formerly known as Witney Grammar School), followed by some notes on those who are listed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

TO THE HONOURED MEMORY OF

THE OLD BOYS OF THIS SCHOOL

WHO FELL IN THE GREAT WAR

1914-1918

WILLIAM HEATHCOTE BLACKABY

HERBERT FRANK BOGGIS

FRANCIS BUCKINGHAM

HERBERT FLOREY

ERNEST JOSEPH FOWLER

ARCHIBALD GRANT

JAMES EDWARD LEWIS HINTON

SIDNEY MILES

WILLIAM HUGH MILLER

REGINALD MOORE

ROBERT CRAIG MURRAY NISBET

TOM POWELL

MATTHEW STRONG

ERNEST WILLIAM TARRANT

Dulce et decorum est

pro patria mori

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The first name on the list is believed to be an error for Richard Heathcote BLACKABY (b.1891), who was known by his middle name and is shown just as H. Blackaby in the school register. A Private in The Buffs, he died 18 Sept 1916 and is buried at Grove Town Cemetery, Meaulte.

Herbert Frank BOGGIS (known as Frank; b.1892), Lce-Cpl, 1/9th London Regiment (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) died at Gommecourt, 1 July 1916. No known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval memorial.

Francis Edward BUCKINGHAM (b.1897), Lce-Cpl, 2nd/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Infantry, killed by a shell, 9 August 1917. No known grave; commemorated on the Thiepval memorial.

(George) Herbert FLOREY (bapt. 1893, Standlake), Pte, Grenadier Guards and Machine Gun Guards. Died of wounds, 6 September 1917. Buried at Dozinghem Military Cemetery.

Ernest Joseph FOWLER (bapt. 1897, Holy Trinity, Witney), Pte, 1st/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Inf; on the night of 8–9 August 1917, he was ‘instantaneously killed by a German high explosive shell’ and buried ‘in a hastily arranged British cemetery on the battlefield’, somewhere in France. His c/o hoped that ‘in due time when we recover more ground from the enemy this cemetery will be attended to and proper crosses put up’. However, his grave is unknown, and his name is listed on the Menin Gate memorial.

Archibald GRANT (bapt 1889, Holy Trinity, Witney). An account of his military career notes that he was educated at the Wesleyan and Bluecoat schools in Witney; perhaps was one of the handful of boys transferred from the latter, upon its closure c.1901, to the Grammar School. Captain Archibald Grant, Essex Regiment, died 30 Nov 1917 at the Battle of Cambrai. No known grave; commemorated on the Cambrai memorial at Louverval.

James Edward Lewis HINTON (known as Lewis; b.1891), MM, Company Serjeant-Major, 5th Bn, Oxon & Bucks Light Inf., shot dead on 3 May 1917 aged 25, at Vis-en-Artois, while administering first aid to a comrade. Buried at L’Homme Mort British Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mein – probably one of those whose remains were reinterred there after the Armistice.

Sidney Edward Alfred MILES (born c.1896, Asthall), Pte, 1st/4th Bn Oxon & Bucks Light Inf, killed in action on 18 or 19 November 1916, aged 20. His name appears on the Thiepval memorial.

William Hugh MILLER (known as Hugh; bapt. 1891 Witney St Mary), Pte, 2nd/1st Bucks Bn, Oxon & Bucks Light Inf, died of pneumonia 14 July 1917, in hospital in Frevent, France; buried at St Hilaire Cemetery, Frevent.

Frederick G.R. MOORE (known as Reg; born c.1895, Dublin), served in the Royal Engineers and Gloucestershire Regiment. Invalided home; died at Ducklington, October 1917 ‘after a long and painful illness’. Buried at Witney public cemetery (not in a war grave?). Not listed in the CWGC database.

Robert Craig Murray NISBET (known as Murray; born in Midlothian c.1898), Pte, 7th (Queen’s Own) Hussars, died 28 October 1918. His grave is not known. His name appears on the Basra memorial.

Thomas William POWELL (b.1895, Kingswood, Bristol), went on to Burford Grammar School and Llandovery College after leaving Witney Grammar School in 1909. Awarded Military Cross for gallantry at the Battle of Loos (then with 9th Bn, Welsh Regiment). In command of a Section of Tanks in July 1916. Gas poisoning at the battle of St Juliens, August 1917, irreparably damaged his lungs: he succumbed to pneumonia on 24 November 1918 and is buried at Brize Norton. CWGC lists him as a Captain in the Tank Regiment.

Matthew STRONG (b.1887), Pte, B Company, 1st/4th Bn Oxon & Bucks Lt Inf; on 27 April 1915 ‘a sniper shot him clean through the head. He had just washed and shaved and was putting his coat on, but, being rather tall, his head came up above the parapet.‘ He died about an hour later without regaining consciousness. His c/o, Capt. Dashwood (who himself was killed a few days later), wrote ‘His brother was there at the end, and saw him decently buried in a piece of ground which will be honoured.’ The hope that his place of burial would be remembered came to nothing, for Pte Strong’s grave was lost. He is commemorated on the Ploegsteert memorial.

Ernest William TARRANT (b.1890), Lce-Cpl, B Company, 1st/4th Oxon & Bucks Light Inf., died of wounds 1 August 1916 and is buried at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen. His brothers Oswald and Norman both also died that summer.

- - - - - - - - -

Two other old boys of the school, not listed on the memorial, are now known to have died in the First World War:

Archie William HUTT (b.1885), Sergt-Maj., 5th Bn Oxon & Bucks Light Inf (formerly with Queen’s Own Oxfordshire Hussars), died 21 March 1918; on that day the Battalion, then in trenches at Bois d’Urvilliers, was ‘overwhelmed’ and suffered heavy losses (the same day, the 2/4th Bn ‘practically ceased to exist as a distinct unit’, recorded the Regimental Chronicle, with ‘upwards of 120 men’ killed and over 400 taken prisoner, Archie Hutt is buried or commemorated at Montescourt-Lizerolles Communal Cemetery (one of several there who have the same CWGC grave/memorial reference, no.141).

Walter Frederick OAKEY (b.1885, Alvescot), Sergt, Berks Yeomanry, died 18 Sept 1915 (according to the Alvescot Village website, which includes a photograph of Walker, he died of wounds and was buried at sea). Commemorated on the Helles Memorial.

Sources include the school’s archives, the Witney Gazette, The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry Chronicle (ed. A.F. Mockler-Ferryman), parish records and, of course, the CWGC database. I have more genealogical info on some of these old boys and photos of a few of them, should anyone be interested.

Jane

[bigronhartley]

Hello Dick,

Can you please have a look to see if there is any information on John Reynolds who was a pupil at St Bedes Grammar School, Bradford. He subsequently was commissioned into the 7th Battalion, West Riding Regiment. Many thanks.

Regards

Ron

[rflory]

Ron: In the Book of Remembrance: St. Bede's Grammar School, Bradford he is listed as Lt. Jack Reynolds, 7th Bn, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. There is a nice photo of him and also a copy of a four page letter he wrote to Father Tyndall from Belgium. PM me your email address and I will send you copies but I don't want to put them up here as the book may still be under copyright. Regards, Dick Flory

[bigronhartley]

Hello Dick,

Many thanks for your kind offer regarding Lt. Jack Reynolds, 7th Bn, Duke of Wellington's Regiment. I would be most grateful for copies of the photo of him and the four page letter he wrote to Father Tyndall from Belgium. I have sent you a PM with my email address. Thanks again for your kindness.

Regards

Ron

[Psmith24]

Dear Dick,

Could you please see if there is any listing for my great uncle 2nd Lieut Robert Smith, who was at Hymers College, Hull, between 1893 to 1898 please. He died on the first day of the Somme. I would be grateful for any details.

Peter Smith

[rflory]

Peter: Unfortunately I have nothing on Hymers College. Regards, Dick Flory

[AlexObr]

Dick,

I wonder if you have anything in your records for 2nd Lt Alfred Edmund KEDGLEY, 83rd Bde RFA, KIA 17/10/1918. Any further info will be much appreciated.

Regards,

Alex

Dick,

Just re-sending this in case you missed it.

Regards,

Alex

[rflory]

Alex: Unfortunately I have nothing on him. Regards, Dick Flory

[corisande]

I have been researching Lt George Bennett, murdered in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Dublin in 1920. As far as I can tell from CWGC and from LG entry he only used one Christian name "George"

As the name is too common, I have not been able to track him, apart from an entry in Gleeson's book, Bloody Sunday which has an unattributed entry that

George Bennett " was educated at Sherborne and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he took an Honours in Law. "

His date of birth c1893 born Batavia, Java I would be very grateful if you can tell me if you have anything on him in Sherborne registers.

He was probably the son of J W Bennett of Bournemouth. Ideally I am after Bennetts date of birth, and anything on his home address. After that I can get into census info and BMDs.

I am no expert in school/university registers, I assume the school one will tell more than the university one?

[Ajaxer]

Dear Dick,

I have just purchased a 1912 Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack which has an inscription in the front, which reads in one hand:

“Wishing Daddy a very happy birthday, and many happy returns of the day from Niel [sic]. July 5th 1912.”

Then in other handwriting:

“Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori. Finis coronat opus. 20 July 1916.”

One assumes the son who gave the book to his father in 1912 died on July 20 1916.

There are pencil notes referring to pages in the book that point to Rugby School.

Are you able please to look at the Rugby School roll of honour (I understand it is seven volumes) and see if any of the following names appear, who died on that date.

The only one with the initial ‘N’ that could be ‘Niel’ is NW Wadham.

Rugby School side v Marlborough

RA Boddington

JL Andrews

IFL Elliot

A de Selincourt

GG Jackson

JT Bretherton

TP Norris

FW Watson

NW Wadham

BW Fagan

RM Aston

If this is an impossible task, do please say so.

Best regards,

Andrew

[rflory]

Andrew: I must say that this mystified me initially because while they were all educated at Rugby School the only man on your list who died during the war was Ronald Mosley Aston and he died on 15 March 1915. So I then checked my Rugby School Register for brothers of the men on the list and found your man, who is not on the list you sent but rather is the brother of Brian Walter Fagan, who is on your list.

The 'Neil' referenced in your book is 2nd Lieut. Neil Fagan, 6th Bn, The Rifle Brigade, the younger brother of Brian Walter Fagan. Neil was born on 26 February 1896, the son of Sir Patrick James Fagan, KCIE, CSI the Financial Commissioner of the Punjab and his wife, Emily Francis. He was educated at Rugby School from 1909 to 1911 where he played cricket, and at Pembroke College Cambridge. He was commissioned in the 6th Bn in November 1914 and went to France on July 5th 1915 where he served as the Bombing Officer of the 1st Bn, The Rifle Brigade.

On the Somme on 1 July 1916 he led the two center platoons in the attack at Thiepval and while attending to injured men in the open he was severely wounded in three places and laid in no-man's land wounded for 48 hours. He died of his wounds at Chichester on 20 July 1916 at the age of 20. I have attached his photo below.

Sources: Memorials of Rugbeians Who Fell in the Great War, Volume III; Rugby School Register, Annotated, 1892-1921.

Regards, Dick Flory

[rflory]

Corisande wrote:

I have been researching Lt George Bennett, murdered in the Bloody Sunday shootings in Dublin in 1920.

Lieutenant George Bennett

Born 1892, the son of J W Bennett, Esq., Harwood, Branksome Park, Bournemouth.

Educated at Sherborne School from December 1906 to 1911 (VI; Head of School; Digby Maths and Sciences, 1910; Sherborne Exhibitor, 1911) and at Magdalen College, Oxford.

Employed as Engineer

Initially in RASC, but transferred to Intelligence Corps and served as Captain at GHQ, Staff, France

Mentioned in Despatches in London Gazette of 30 December 1918

Murdered at Dublin, November 1920

Sources: The Sherborne Register, Supplement 1900-1921; Old Shirburian Navy and Army List 1914-1919; Oxford University Roll of Service, 1920. Unfortunately the Magdalen College Registeronly lists living persons.

Regards, Dick Flory

[corisande]

Lieutenant George Bennett

That is very kind of you, thanks for your help

[Ajaxer]

Dear Dick,

Thank you for discovering Neil Fagan for me, by taking the trouble to delve further and find the brothers of the Rugby School cricket team.

Sadly, he did not have an obituary in Wisden 1917: the Wisdens of the war years are full of the lists of those who may just have played schools cricket, never getting the opportunity to play at University or in the First-Class game.

I will now be able to research the Fagan family further.

Thank you also for the photo.

I am most grateful for your assistance.

Best regards,

Andrew

[Archer]

Dear Dick,

When you have a moment, could you go back to the Book of Remembrance: St. Bede's Grammar School, Bradford, please?

I am interested in anything you can find about Father Gerald Michael Henegan, m.h.m.

You may be interested in this picture of Henegan kept by the Mill Hill Fathers.

Thanks, as always

William

[Digger]

I have over 400 British school, college and university registers and rolls of honor and will be happy to do lookups as long as you can give me the school your man attended - I do not have the time nor inclination to accept requests to look for a particular name when the school is not known unless they are Great War Royal Artillery officers (I have a database indexing all of those officers who are listed in the school registers). Please give me the man's name, school attended and general time frame when making your request and indicate what type of information you are looking for.

Regards. Dick Flory

This is a great offer, so thank you for the chance to find Edward Hawley, who attended Ascham Gate School in Eastbourne sometime between 1890 and 1910. I am researching the Ascham St. Vincent School War Memorial, but the only Edward I can find on CWGC is one that enilisted in Canada, but that doesn't necessarily mean that it is not him of course. I would like to be sure that I have the right one before I enter his details on the list

All supposing you have Ascham registers etc.

Many thanks

Digger

[rflory]

Archer wrote:

When you have a moment, could you go back to the Book of Remembrance: St. Bede's Grammar School, Bradford, please?

I am interested in anything you can find about Father Gerald Michael Henegan, m.h.m.

Archer: Unfortunately there is no mention of him other than in his listing in the Roll of Honour and the notation that the school has a photo of him. Regards, Dick Flory

Digger: I have nothing on Ascham school. Sorry, Dick Flory

[unitedsound]

Hello Dick

Can you help with detail for John Meikle Bain, 2Lt (T), 9th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), KIA 14/7/1916 nr Longueval.

TIA

David

[rflory]

David wrote:

Can you help with detail for John Meikle Bain, 2Lt (T), 9th Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), KIA 14/7/1916 nr Longueval.

2 Lieut John Meikle Bain

Born in 1880

Educated at Buccleuch and Wilton Schools, Hawick

From 1900 to 1904 was a student of arts and sciences at the University of Edinburgh and received an MA in 1904.

B. Sc. (Londong)

Schoolmaster before the war

2nd Lieut, 12th Scottish Rifles, April 1915

KIA on 14 July 1916

Source: University of Edinburgh Roll of Honour 1914-1919.

[unitedsound]

Some "new" information Dick.

Can you clarify/confirm the line "B.Sc. (Londong)" please?

many thanks

David

[rflory]

David: Should have read: B.Sc. (London). Regards, Dick

[unitedsound]

Dick

Many thanks

David

[ASA1]

Hi Dick,

Do you have anything on :

Knight, Francis Ernest - Captain, 2nd Northamptonshire Regt, attended Wellingborough School and the University of London (also possibly Cambridge?)

Many thanks,

ASA1