Book of Remembrance: he Great War 1914 - 1918
'More than your share, dear lads'.
hus wrote the Editor of he Aluredian for summer term 1916. he school had just learnt of the death of Eric RatcliffGaylard,
aged 21, at the Battle of the Somme, a year after his elder brother Cecil had been killed at Gallipoli. Earlier Eric had
written cheerfully to his old school to tell them that both he and his brother were serving their country. In his letter he
suggested with tragic irony that they were doing 'their share'.
In commemoration of the outbreak of the Great War and sacrifice made by former pupils, the OA Club has published a
Book of Remembrance: he Great War 1914 - 1918, containing biographies and photos of the 82 OAs who died. he
book contains many remarkable and moving stories
• Roger Palmer, Head Prefect and captain of cricket in 1911, who, although wounded, died storming the Turkish trenches
at Gallipoli in 1915
• Frederick Cancellor, who died on the Somme; at 17 he was the youngest OA to die in the War.
• Victor Page, who was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on the Somme, only to die a week before his son was
born.
• Percy Latham and Arthur Holmes-Gore, both in the Isle of Wight Rifles, separated in age by 27 years, but both killed
within a week of each other at Gallipoli.
To anyone attending the Remembrance Day service at King's many of the names of the 82 OAs will have a familiar ring
but until now we knew little or nothing about them. Like us they represented their school at sport, sang in the choir, were
members of the corps, acted in school plays and
played in house matches. Unlike us they made the
ultimate sacrifice.
A copy of the book will be placed in the chapel
where, as with the World War Two Book of
Remembrance, a page will be turned every week.book OF REMEMBRANCE
The Great War 1914-1918
BOOK OF REMEMBRANCE
The Great War 1914-1918
fficers' Training Corps. Of the 100 cadets that year 30 were to die in the Great War
Book of Remembrance:
he Great War 1914-1918
Published by the OA Club and, available from:
Chris Warren
c/o he Archives
King's College
South Road
Taunton TA1 3LA
Price £7.50 (collected from King's) or £9.50
(posted). Cheques should be made payable to
he Old Aluredian Club
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