Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

4th April 1917

John Egerton-Leigh, G Social 1890. Captain, 10th Bn, King’s Royal Rifle Corps. Killed in action at Metz-en-Couture, during the German Retreat to the Hindenberg Line

He was a career soldier from 1897, serving in the Second South African War until 1902. He then went out to Canada as a farmer until the outbreak of WW1 in 1914.

He went to France in July 1915, and served on the Ypres Salient February to July, 1916, being wounded at Ypres. He afterwards served on the Somme, was at the taking of Guillemont, and was again wounded there, being mentioned in despatches January 4th, 1917. After he was wounded at Ypres he carried in his sergeant, who was also wounded. Finding him too heavy he came in for assistance. and went out again himself in spite of a very nasty rifle fire, and brought him in. He died leading his Company into action. After being wounded once he persevered until a bullet killed him outright. He was buried close to where he fell, just south of Metz-en-Couture and some ten miles from Cambrai.

Aged 41
Capt John Egerton-Leigh. kia 4 April 1917

Capt John Egerton-Leigh. kia 4 April 1917

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

3rd April 1917

John O’Beirne, G Social 1907. Lt, 25th Sqn, Royal Flying Corps. Killed in action on photographic reconnaissance

After school, he trained as a mining engineer. He had just finished his three years’ training at the School of Mining, Camborne, when war broke out. He joined the Special Reserve of Officers in September, 1915, and went to the front but was invalided home after the first battle of Ypres. Later he went to Sandhurst and received a commission in the regiment, joined the R.F.C., and went to the front in May, 1916.

Aged 23

His brother, Arthur, G Social 1901, was killed in July 1917
John O'Beirne, Lt, RFC. kia April 1917

John O’Beirne, Lt, RFC. kia April 1917

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

2nd April 1917

Maurice Fenwick, H Social 1909. 2nd Lt, 8th Bn, Devonshire Regt. Killed in action near Ecoust during the German Retreat to the Hindenberg Line

During the Somme fighting he displayed conspicuous bravery in rendering aid to the wounded under heavy fire.    In front of Ecoust in March, 1917, his reconnoitring work was of great service; he found a road to the village which had not been wired and on April 2nd guided his company along it being himself the first man to enter the village.    After a further advance he found himself in command of his company which he rallied with great gallantry.    He was directing the fire of the machine gun, standing in an exposed position, when he was shot through the head. He was buried in the village of Noreuil.

Aged 24

Wood’s diary – excerpts
1857. 1st April. Tuesday

Springtime

A lovely morning. Walked for ¼ of an hour before breakfast on the terrace, my heart swelling like the buds which glistened in the Sun. These bright spring mornings are like one ceaseless prayer or rather thanksgiving.

 

William Wood’s Diary 1855-1861, ed. by Mark Spurrell, is available from Oxfordshire Record Society. These excerpts are presented to give a flavour of life at Radley in the 1850s

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

March/April 2017

An unknown soldier

W. Rogers is listed on the Servants’ Memorial on War Memorial Arch.

He served as a Private with the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry. He was lost in action somewhere in France, sometime between March and April 1917.

He is listed on the Thiepval Memorial.

Thiepval Memorial. CWGC photo

Thiepval Memorial. CWGC photo

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

28th March 1917. Reginald Henderson, D Social 1896. Sgt, East African Mounted Rifles. Died of wounds received in action in TanzaniaAt school, he played for the Cricket and Soccer 1st Xis. After school, he was a farmer in British East Africa (now Kenya). At the outbreak of war he was a trooper in the Thika Horse, but transferred into the 27th Mountain Battery R.A., in which he was a sergeant, and died in Nairobi on March 28th, 1917, of injuries received while on service in German East Africa (now Tanzania) in 1916.

RG Henderson, Radley College Cricket XI 1901

RG Henderson, Radley College Cricket XI 1901

Wood’s diary – excerpts
1857. March 15th. Sunday

‘Warden’s Assembly’
Very stormy last night. It seemed as if the windows would be blown in. The Warden addressed the boys after Morning Chapel on Sins of the Flesh, sending out in turns (a) the boys under 12 (b) those under 16 (c) those above. He shewed  great skill and tact in his remarks.

 

William Wood’s Diary 1855-1861, ed. by Mark Spurrell, is available from Oxfordshire Record Society. These excerpts are presented to give a flavour of life at Radley in the 1850s

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

Wood’s diary – excerpts
1856. March 2nd. Sunday

Cake
The Warden preached on “God’s hatred of Sin” – extempore. A good sermon. Walked with Morgan. The simnel [cake] arrived by a porter from Oxford and we had it for tea, decorated with crocuses.

 

William Wood’s Diary 1855-1861, ed. by Mark Spurrell, is available from Oxfordshire Record Society. These excerpts are presented to give a flavour of life at Radley in the 1850s

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

Wood’s diary – excerpts
1856. February 25th. Monday

A walk to Cumnor
Cloudy, but rain kept off and I had a pleasant walk to Cumnor with W. Sewell, Hook, O’Brien, Russell. We went across country jumping hedges and forcing our way through pleasant copses where the first primroses were already in flower. Brock ran with us, and at Cumnor had to be carried into the stable in the groom’s arms to save him from the other dogs. Saw the Church and after having dined at their lunch left about 3½ o’clock.

William Wood’s Diary 1855-1861, ed. by Mark Spurrell, is available from Oxfordshire Record Society. These excerpts are presented to give a flavour of life at Radley in the 1850s

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

William Wood, DD, Sub-Warden 1855-66 & Warden 1866-70 of Radley College

Commemorating the Fallen of WW1

Today we remember …

22nd February 1917. Frederick Raikes, D Social, 1885. 2nd Lt, South Wales Borderers (attd Machine Gun Corps). Killed in action, 2nd Battle of Kut-al-Amara, Mesopotamia Campaign

Frederick Raikes was one of the oldest volunteers to join up.  He was married, with five children, and working as a solicitor when the War began.  At school he was a Junior Scholar and winner of the Heathcote Scholarship for Mathematics. He studied at Corpus Christi College, Oxford.

There was something really  heroic and yet typically English in F. M. Raikes’s offering his life for his country at an age when he might have stayed at home.  “He had high  ideals  and a love  of the  beautiful in  form  and character, in nature and art and literature.”  Again,” he joyed  all  physical effort which taxed  his resourcefulness and  endurance – if it  involved  hardship so  much the better.”  ‘I should like to find myself in a tight corner,’ he said on one occasion.  One of his friends  writes, ‘Never was anyone so full of the spirit of right living and right enjoyment as he.’  Radley has a right to be proud of such a son.

His eldest son was a boy at the school when he was killed.  His death precipitated action on the War Memorial Scholarships Fund and his son was the first boy to receive aid from it.  His nephew, John Raikes, considered Radley’s most promising mathematician, died on the Somme in 1916.

Aged 45
2nd Lt Frederick Raikes, South Wales Borderers. kia Kut-al-Amara

2nd Lt Frederick Raikes, South Wales Borderers. kia Kut-al-Amara