Today we remember …
| 23rd June 1915. Ronald Morkill, B Social 1905. Lt, Royal Flying Corps. Killed in a flying accident near Brighton. He was the first Radleian airman to die in WW1.Aged 22. He married Ellen Wilkinson in 1914 |
 Ronald Morkill, Lt, RFC. Killed in a flying accident, 23 June 1915 |
The name of Lionel Johnston on the Le Touret Memorial. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
Today we remember …
 JL Johnstone. Prefects 1904 |
On 12th May 1915 John Leslie Johnston, B Social 1899. Lt, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry, was recorded as missing, presumed killed in action in an unknown engagement in the 2nd Battle of Ypres. He was one of the most distinguished scholars of his time at Radley. He won the Richards Gold Medal, the James, Heathcote and Gibbs Scholarships. He went on to become Fellow and Dean of Magdalen College, Oxford. His friend, Edwyn Bevan, published a biography of him in 1920.‘He vanished in May 1915 and it is very likely that he was executed by the Germans soon after being shot in the abdomen.’ Letter from Dr Simon Harris, Regimental Historian, 2014 |
 Lt JL Johnstone, Ox & Bucks LI. Missing in action, 12 May 1915 |
The grave of Montague Clarke at Ruisseau Farm Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 11th May 1915. Montagu Clarke, B Social, 1907. Killed in action near Ypres. Aged 21. Monty Clarke left Radley in 1911 to attend Sandhurst. In 1912 he received his Commission in the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. It is unusual to find a civilian photo in the War Memorial Albums, particularly for a young career soldier. |
 Lt MCC Clarke, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. kia 11 May 1915 |
Today we remember …
| 15th January 1915. [William] Vyvian Douglas-Jones, B Social 1908. 2nd Lt, 33rd Battery, 33rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. He was a career officer who gained his commission at Woolwich:‘as observation officer of his battery, was taking a new subaltern round to see the observation posts, when a sniper from a house fired and knocked him over. His companion, with the help of two soldiers, under heavy fire, carried him to a farm and dressed his wounds. “I have never known a more willing worker or a more gallant boy; we were a very happy family in this battery, and his place will not easily be filled. He was always absolutely fearless and indifferent to bullets, so much so that we frequently had to warn him not to get into unnecessary danger. But on the occasion on which the bullet found him there was no rashness, he was doing a needful thing quietly in the usual manner. He could not have died better. It is a vile kind of fighting when we keep losing our best with little apparently to show for it, but it is the work of such boys which has made us hold the enemy back, and his life went gallantly in doing his best.”
Aged 20 |
 WV Douglas-Jones, 2nd Lt, 33rd Battery, 33rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. kia 15 January 1915 |
Today we remember …
| 19th December 1914. Leonel Pringle, B Social 1894. He attended Sandhurst. Captain, 1st Bn, Highland Light Infantry. Member of the Royal Victorian Order. Died from wounds received in an unknown engagement in France. Aged 34 |
 Leonel Pringle, Captain, 1st Bn Highland LI. Died from wounds 19 December 1914 |
Today we remember …
| 1st November 1914. Today we remember two Radleians who fell on the Western Front: Alexander Lewer and Charles NorthAlexander Lewer, C Social 1902. Private, 1/4th Bn, London Regt. Missing, presumed killed in action, Battle of Messines: ‘18th June 1919 A. D. Comyns-Lewer, Pte. London Scottish, missing since Nov. 1st, 1914, now presumed killed.’ (The Radleian)
After leaving school he became a journalist and was sub-editor of a nature journal ‘Feathered World’ when he volunteered in September 1914. His family did not provide a photo for the War Memorial albums |
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 Charles North, Major, 5th Field Cpy, Royal Engineers. kia, 1st Battle of Ypres, 1 November 1914 |
Charles North, B Social 1887. Major commanding 5th Field Cpy, Royal Engineers. Killed in action, First Battle of YpresObituary from The Times: “Major Charles North, R.E., who was killed in action last Sunday was the eldest son of the late Colonel Roger North, R.A., and Mrs. North, of Birley, Camberley. He was born in 1873 and educated at Radley and Woolwich, entering the Royal Engineers in 1893. He served through the South African War and received the Queen’s medal with three clasps and the King’s with two clasps. He married in December last Norah, daughter of the late Colonel Gribbon. At the time of his death he was in command of the 5th Field Company, Royal Engineers.” |
Radley College Archives 