Monday 7^th May 1945 was the day the war in Europe was officially brought to an end. The following day Tuesday 8th May was declared a national holiday in the United Kingdom - “Victory in Europe Day”.

Today, Thursday 8^th May 2025 [VE80] we pause to remember and commemorate the sacrifice of all those who fought and died in the cause of freedom.

All of us either as pupils, staff, or visitors who attended Chapel services down the years will have passed by the two marble memorials on the walls to commemorate those OW’s who lost their lives during both World Wars, and might from time to time have glanced up out of curiosity to read the names or to see if one of their number was known to our own families.

This project, which took nearly three years to complete, turned out to be a far greater undertaking than first envisaged due to sporadic record keeping by the school during the 1914-18 war itself and its immediate aftermath as it meant that names listed on the memorial could not be relied upon. It also explained in part why some names did not appear until the 2000’s. I soon learned that it was the pupils themselves who were the custodians of letters from OW’s in the front line, reading the news clippings and casualty lists and editing the college magazine in which they would provide regular updates of the injured and fallen, and from whom the list on the memorial was drawn up in the early 1920’s. Archives across the world and family members provided a rich source of information to enable pen portraits to be drawn.

Research into the OW’s lost in the Second World War was far less problematic and took less time as most of the MOD personnel records of the period containing for example; copy letters, telegrams and other personal information on the individual [in abundance for WW1] are still in the process of being brought into the public domain. Nonetheless, I was able to uncover some interesting and remarkable accounts of their military service.

I hope that you will take the time to look behind the names and read their stories. Simply click on the "Pro Patria" button on the main menu bar and follow the links.

Jeremy Elsworth
[Windsor 1970-75]

e-mail: propatria@wrekincollege.com