John Loynton
21 Mar 2016
270 former Solihull School pupils served in the military forces during WWI of whom 55 lost their lives. The age range of the latter was 19 – 36, with an average of 23. Most served in the army, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment alone having 76, with 17 in the RFC/RAF and 5 in the Royal Navy. 49 were awarded decorations.
The School’s records of its pupils are extant only from 1920 onwards, so the main source of information was The Shenstonian, the School magazine. First published in 1884, there is a continuous run of issues from 1906. It recorded events in great detail, especially cricket matches (which started to be played as early as 1860). Team scores up to the end of WWI were low by modern standards, and if any boy scored 50 a tree was planted in his honour – the line is one of the features of the School grounds today. The Rev’d Doctor A.J.Cooper was Head Master during WWI and read the announcement of casualties to the School Assembly almost every morning. He lived in School House and retired early with ill health in 1920. He was succeeded by Mr Bushell, who had himself served in the War.
In 1912 England, captained by Frank Foster, won the Ashes. He had been captain of the School’s 1st XI, all of whom amazingly survived the War. The vice-captain was Leslie Smith, one of five brothers (two of whom were killed). Others who survived were Reg Patterson (David’s father) who left the School in 1911, became a Private in the Royal Warwicks and later L/Corporal in the Worcesters, served at Ypres and was gassed twice. He lived to be 90, dying in 1986. Charles Lander also left in 1911, joined the Birmingham University OTC alongside Montgomery and Slim, and like them was commissioned into the Royal Warwicks. The Shenstonian reported him killed but in fact he returned home after the War to Ashleigh Road. He also lived to be 90; his daughter published his Memoires in 2010.
Some of those who did not survive were: Clive Beaufoy, at the School 1908-1914 where he played football (no rugby until 1930) and was in the OTC (founded 1898). He was immediately commissioned into the Royal Warwicks and was killed on 25 September 1918 aged 21. His cousin, Eric, left the School in 1912, joined the Merchant Navy but jumped ship at Brisbane (costing his father a £50 fine) to join the Australian Army and serve in the War. He survived to die in 1965. Capt. Clement Martineau was a Colour Serjeant in the OTC and was commissioned directly into the Royal Warwicks. He died of wounds in a German Field Hospital on 10 May 1918, aged 21. His mother kept a lighted candle at the entrance to Touchwood Hall for many years, and his memorial is in St Alphege Church. William Furse left in 1907, was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers and was killed at the Somme in July 1916, having married Beatrice Law of King’s Heath the previous autumn. His brother Alan, commissioned into the Royal Warwicks wrote, like others, descriptive letters home. He contacted scurvy in 1916 and was sent home where he was allowed to wear the Silver War Badge to avoid being presented by women with the white feather of cowardice. Shortly before the Armistice Alan was one of those who formed the Old Comrades Association in Birmingham.
In 1919 the School held its first Remembrance Service and a list of the fallen was unveiled in the dining room. It was replaced in 1953 by a new War Memorial. Recent research has shown that it contains two names who did not die and omits five who did. The School took part in the ceremony on 19 June 1921 when the Solihull War Memorial was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant, the Earl of Craven, and consecrated by the Bishop of Birmingham. The ceremony was organised by Dr Adolphus Bernays, who was a School Governor1896-1938, serving twice as Chairman. The 103 names inscribed on the bronze tablets include eight Old Silhillians. The Shirley War Memorial lists two names and the Henley-in-Arden one Old Sil. There are over 55,000 names (including Sgt Waters) on the Menin Gate at Ypres where the School participated in the 23,672nd nightly ceremony in October 1998. At Thiepval there are over 73,000 names, including two Old Sils.
Few photographs of those who fell survive. Lt.Col William Burnett left the school in 1896, became an engineer, married Agnes and had a son. He joined the North Staffords, was awarded the DSO and died of wounds on 3 July 1916, aged 36; he was the most highly ranked Old Sill killed. Lt John Harrison left in 1912 and went into insurance. He served in the Royal Warwicks, was awarded the MC (one of 14 for Old Sils) and was killed in April 1917 aged 22. Lt Norman Dingley left in 1911 after captaining the cricket 2nd XI. He served with the Worcesters and was killed in May 1917 aged 22. L/Cpl Herbert Arculus (Royal Warwicks) and Private William Machin (Middlesex Regt.) were both killed in 1916. Murray Wilson-Brown – the son of an Old Sil – served in the RFC/RAF and was killed in July 1916 aged 19. Harold Jackson, played for the cricket 1st XI and was killed flying with 41 Squadron in June 1917 aged 21. Flg.Off Eric Wormell survived the War as did his fascinating sketch books.
The School’s most senior officer was Brigadier Sir Walter Ludlow, CB, DL (1857-1941), Royal Warwicks, who left School in 1869 and was a Governor 1924-30. A surveyor by profession, he served in the Territorial Army and in 1914 was a Colonel in charge of the Birmingham Army Recruiting Office. He was sent to Ypres in 1915 to command the 184th Infantry Brigade. His youngest son, Stratford, was educated at King’s Worcester and also served in the Royal Warwicks. He was killed at the Somme in 1916 aged 22 and is commemorated in the beautiful east window of Knowle Parish Church. In 2006 the School performed Oh, What a Lovely War, and in 2009 Private Peaceful. In 2014 3rd Form pupils made ceramic poppies for a display at the School.