The grave of Arthur Lonsdale at Rue Petillon Cemetery. Phptographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 13th March 1915. Arthur Lonsdale, F Social 1905. Lt, 2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Died of wounds received on 10th March in the Battle of Neuve Chapelle.
At Radley he was Captain of Rackets and Fives. Before the War he had planned to enter the priesthood. Aged 23 |
 Arthur Lonsdale, Lt, 2nd Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Died of wounds, 13 March 1915 |
The grave of Leonard Hardy at Gorre Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 11th February 1915. Leonard Hardy, G Social 1909. Lt, 2nd Bn, Worcestershire Regt. Killed in action in an unknown engagement in France.
Leonard Hardy was the first Old Radleian to fall who had been a boy at the school when the Warden, E Gordon Selwyn, took up his post in 1913. The Warden spoke about him in Chapel: ‘The first thing which strikes me, I think, as I recall him, was that he was one whom you could always absolutely trust… pray also for this School, that God may send us many like him.’ |
 Leonard Hardy, Lt, 2nd Bn, Worcestershire Regt. kia 11 February 1915 |
Today we remember …
| 30 October 1914. Today we remember two Radleians who fell in the First Battle of Ypres: Spencer Railston and Roger Schunck.
Spencer Railston, G Social 1902. Lt, 4th Irish Dragoon Guards Railston ‘lost his life in a gallant attempt to bring in a wounded peasant woman, who in very heavy village fighting had got between the British and the German lines. Lieut. Railston left his cover to do this, and was immediately killed by many bullets from a Maxim battery.’ ‘He was at home on leave from India when war was declared, and got attached to the 4th Dragoon Guards. He received his commission in 1907. and his step in 1909. He was one of the many good all-round sportsmen who have given their lives for their country-a very fine horseman, a good polo player, and big game shot, and at one time champion light-weight boxer of India.’ (Radleian obituary) |
 Spencer Railston, Lt, 4th Bn, Irish Dragoon Guards. kia 1st Battle of Ypres, 30 October 1914 |
 Roger Schunck, 2nd Lt, Royal West Surrey Regt. kia 1st Battle of Ypres, 30 October 1914 |
Roger Schunck, G Social 1898. 2nd Lt, Royal West Surrey Regt. Killed in action near Gheluvelt. At school he played for the Soccer XI. After school he became a merchant with his family’s firm in Manchester |
The grave of Roger Schunck in Ypres Town Cemetery. Photgraphed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
The grave of Alexander Gwyer at Wytschaete Cemetery. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 22nd October 1914. Alexander Gwyer, D Social, 1897. Captain, 6th Dragoon Guards. Killed in action in the First Battle of Messines
Alexander Gwyer was at Eton for a short time before joining Radley so is also listed on Eton’s War Memorial. He was a career soldier who joined the Dragoons on leaving school in 1902. He was promoted Captain in 1908. In 1912 he retired from active service but rejoined his regiment upon the outbreak of the War. |
 Alexander Gwyer, Captain, 6th Dragoon Guards. kia First Battle of Messines, 22 October 1914 |
The name of Norman Fairlie on the Ploegsteert Memorial. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 21st October 1914. Norman Fairlie, A Social, 1906. 2nd Lt, 2nd Bn, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
Norman Fairlie was aged 22 when he disappeared in action near Ploegsteert Wood in Flanders. The Radleian magazine lists him among the prisoners or wounded in November 1914, amended to ‘missing’, now ‘wounded’ in December, and still among the missing in April 1916. The date of his death is the last known sighting of him alive. He has no known grave and his family did not send a photograph for the War Memorial albums. |
 The Sword of Honour |
Harold Barton’s name of the Le Touret Memorial. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 18th October 1914. Harold Barton, C Social, 1907. 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers. He left Radley in 1912 and went to Sandhurst. The Barton Cup is awarded annually to the best cadet in the Removes.He was killed in action in the Battle of La Bassée. His mother received a letter from the German officer who found his body:
‘ Dear Mrs. Barton,-Your son fell on the field of honour against our regiment. I admired his courage after a very hard struggle against us. Your son will be buried near Castle Warneton, near Lille. (Signed) Ewald, Lieutenant Feldart, Regt. No. 7.’ |
 Harold Barton, 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Royal Scots Fusiliers. kia La Bassee, 18 October 1914 |
The name of Thomas Smith on the Le Touret Memorial. Photographed for ‘Marching in Memory’ for Combat Stress, July 2015
| 16th October 1914. Thomas Smith, D Social, 1909. 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Dorsetshire Regt. Killed in action at La BasséeThomas Smith left Radley in 1913 to go to Sandhurst. |
 Thomas Smith, 2nd Lt, 1st Bn, Dorsetshire Regt. kia La Bassee, 16 October 1914 |
Radley College Archives 