The Boys of Shakespeare’s School

When war was declared, the principle concern for many was that it would not last long enough for them to rush off to the front. The novelist Ernest Raymond wrote that at the outset the young were enthusiastic to fight for a cause they considered to be just, but like many he believed that it would all be over by Christmas, and echoed the belief that ‘there simply wasn’t enough money to keep the War going and that the City would not allow it to continue beyond a few days.’ In Warwickshire there was the added urgency to bring in the harvest.

For more information about Stratford in 1914, please click here.

One hundred and eighty-one King Edward VI School Old Boys served in the armed forces during the First World War. For a small school this was a considerable number. On enlistment, the youngest – directly from School – was 17, the oldest 39, and the youngest to die was 18. One gained a Victoria Cross, eleven were awarded the Military Cross, four the Distinguished Service Order, one the Military Medal, one the Distinguished Conduct Medal, one the Distinguished Service Medal, one was awarded the OBE, and two received both the Croix de Guerre and were made Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur. Thirty-one Old Boys and one Master were killed in action or died of wounds…

[CLICK ON EACH NAME FOR MORE DETAILS]

John Harold Savage (7 October 1914)

Victor William Hyatt (5 December 1915)

Alan Moray Brown (12 March 1915)

Duncan McDonald O’Callaghan (March 14 1915)

John Albert Berry (13 May 1915)

Herbert Cavis Brown (25 May 1915)

Reginald Arthur Warneford (17 June 1915)

Henry Arthur Jennings (30 April 1916)

Cyril Hoskins (1 July 1916)

Adrian Hamilton Barrett (10 July 1916)

Geoffrey Boles Donaldson (19 July 1916)