Roll of Honour 2023

F OREWORD (7)

The build of T HE W AR M EMORIAL B UILDINGS 1923

Four new wooden WW1 plaques were added in 2017 (paid for by the Society) of OSE who, for whatever reason, had never been commemorated previously.

S TAGE T WO : B ACKGROUND (2) T HE S ECOND W ORLD W AR

The outbreak of the Second World War was a very different event to the corresponding one twenty-five years previously. This time there was no mad rush to join the colours, but a more organised affair with the government emphasising to all schools that pupils should ‘stay in place and continue with their studies until called up for the war’. St. Edward’s, like all Public Schools, was well prepared, with an organised OTC of many years standing, trained and drilled by regular soldiers on all the basics needed for entering the forces as well as teachers, usually with

J OHN M ILLINGTON S ING 1913

previous military experience. The Certificate A (parts 1 & 2) were exams that needed to be passed which further equipped the Cadets with skills in map-reading, field tactics, arms handing and maintenance, target shooting, drilling others etc. So, most of those who had reached the age of eighteen or over and members of the OTC became candidates for the Officer Cadet Training Units in expectation of a commission, with the prospect that Call-up would come when they reached twenty. This age estimate quickly reduced.