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SCHOOLBOYS’ MEMORIES OF WORLD WAR II — PART ONE

I recently published privately a book of memories of school life in the years 1937-1950, when our school had an outstanding headmaster in Father John Sinnott SJ. These extracts from the book paint the picture of schoolboys’ views of the war, together with quotes from the school magazines.

Wimbledon College was at that time an independent Catholic school, run by the order of the Society of Jesus — the Jesuits. (In 1944, under Butler’s Education Act, it became a grammar school and it is now a comprehensive school.)

Religious observance was, of course, a central part of school life.

Catholic education with the Jesuits had a language of its own. Most of the teachers in the Community were men, even in wartime, and most were ordained priests, or else scholastics — men training to become priests. The letters SJ after a name signified membership of the Society. The names of the classes were special too; this list shows them in terms of current designations:

Lower Preparatory Year 3
Preparatory Year 4
Elements Year 5

these were the classes in the prep school, Donhead Lodge

Figures Year 6
Rudiments Year 7
Lower Grammar Year 8
Grammar Year 9
Syntax Year 10
Poetry Year 11
Rhetoric Year 12

For punishment, we had the ‘ferula’ — shaped like the sole of a slipper, and reportedly made of whalebone. It hurt …

Old Boys of the school were Old Wimbledonians, or OWs — we begin with the report of one such, giving a not atypical view of Germany in the years before 1939, when atheistic Communism rather than Fascism seemed to present the greater threat to Christian Europe.

THE PRELUDE TO WAR

FROM THE SCHOOL MAGAZINE

AN O.W. IN GERMANY IN 1936

Last September, I was fortunate enough to be selected to join a party of law students from the Law Society, Oxford and Cambridge, to tour Germany as the guests of the Juristenbund, the law society of that country. The object of the invitation was to give us the oppor¬tunity of having a real insight into the new National Socialist Germany, to show us the very wrong impressions fostered on us by an unsympathetic Press, and in such a way to improve Anglo-German relations.

And so behold us ‘ambassadors of Anglo-German friendship’ boarding s.s. ‘Europa’ on September 3rd with a colossal wreath destined for the Unknown Soldier’s memorial in Berlin. We arrived at Bremen the next day and were received at lunch in the fifteenth century town hall by the Senator and high officials of the town. During the lunch we kept our hosts busy with many political questions, to which we found they always knew the right answers.

In Berlin we marched down the Unter den Linden with our wreath, and amidst Nazi saluting laid it on the Unknown Soldier’s memorial. At the House of the German Press we had the honour of being received by Reich-minister Dr. Frank, the Cabinet Minister charged with the affairs of justice, a man of keen features who impressed us with an energetic speech and afterwards underwent a severe political cross-examination.

A long train journey brought us to Munich, where we enjoyed Bavarian hospitality at its best, and had a fine afternoon’s trip by motor coach along the broad new State motor-road to the beautiful Lake of Tegernsee, surrounded by towering Alpine mountains. As Munich is the headquarters of the Nazi party, the uniforms of the various political bodies were much in evidence, and we visited the Brown House in the stately Konigsplatz.

My impression of Nurnberg is rather confused, for we went there to attend the Nazi Parteitag and saw little of its everyday life, because in every street there was a sea of Storm Troopers or Labour Service men marching to pay homage to the Fuehrer. Our impressions of the political significance of the Party day varied with our individual prejudices. Personally, I saw nothing terrifying or yet awe-inspiring in the spectacle, but felt that the Germans take their pleasures rather solemnly and in column of fours, but once more realised the terrific enthusiasm that Hitler can arouse by his presence.

After a few days in Frankfurt, and a tour to Wiesbaden, we travelled to Bremen, and thence to Southampton, concluding a very enjoyable and interesting holiday.

Political conclusions ? Well, I was favourably impressed by the New Germany and her real desire for friend¬ship with Great Britain. One has only to look at the bullet marks on the buildings in so many cities, caused by Communist rioting, to realise how close Germany was to Bolshevism. Hitler’s genius has done wonders for the country, and there is no doubting 90 per cent of Germany is solidly behind him.

December 1938

The opening weeks of the present School year will be memorable for the anxieties occasioned by the unpleasant week of the crisis. Though the anxieties were keenly felt, one is glad to record that work and games went on with custo¬mary serenity. The College authorities are most grateful for the helpful co-operation they received from everyone they consulted, especially from those whose knowledge and experience enabled them to advise as to the methods of protection best adapted to our own particular circ¬umstances. It was learned, perhaps with some surprise, that our circumstances were most favourably adapted to meeting the emergency of an air-raid. Moreover, experiment showed that within two minutes of a given signal a full School could be placed under shelter. This also was reassuring, and was a tribute to the carefulness with which arrangements were made and to the orderly manner in which they were carried out. News of the settlement happily put an end to the need for further experiment at least for the time being, and tension relaxed when the good news came as an answer to the world-wide prayer for peace. A half-holiday was granted to help on the recovery to normal, and no half-holiday could have been more gratefully given or received.

AT THE OUTBREAK OF WAR

December 1939

The College assembled for the new School Year on the appointed day in hopeful mood, though in some uncertainty as to what effects war conditions would have on its numbers and the scope of its prospec¬tive activities. While it was found that rather more than had been anticipated had found it necessary, or thought it advisable, not to return, a large entry helped considerably to counteract the inevitable decrease in numbers. The College, consequently, began its war career with some 80 per cent. of its last year’s total present, which, under the circumstances, may be considered a satisfactory, if not altogether easy, position. We trust the position will continue to improve, as it has done slowly during the term, and that many more of those whose names figure, under duress, in our farewell column, may soon find it possible to resume the normal tenor of their ways.

Substantially, therefore, the College is able to continue its usual routine without let or hindrance, and may consider itself fortunate that it has been spared all the difficulties of evacuation. Afternoon schools have been shortened a period to allow an unadventurous return home. Games are played each half-holiday, since public air-raid shelters are available within easy reach of the playing-fields. Almost all that is missed is the after School activity of various Societies, which, if all goes well, may be revived later in the year.

IN THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN

July 1940

The fiftieth issue of the Maga¬zine would normally be commemorated in some special way, but the present is not the moment. With God’s good help, we trust that this may be done in a suitable manner before very long. In the meantime, during the days of severe trial, we wish our readers Godspeed. They may be assured that all, most particularly those who are helping us by their ser¬vice in the forces, are remembered daily in the Masses and prayers of the Community and boys at the College. We would ask, in return, prayers for guidance and help in our own needs, knowing full well what great encouragement is to be derived from the knowledge of such support.

The Christmas term came to a close without the customary concert. Light¬ing restrictions and the necessity of getting home before dark put any sort of preparation out of the question. For similar reasons, rehearsals for an Academy and for a Shrovetide play were not possible. Indeed, throughout the winter afternoon schools were already curtailed to meet the difficul¬ties caused by the blackout, and as the main effort of the School must always be directed to maintaining the studies at an efficient standard, dis¬tractions, however pleasing and even profitable, which normally relieve the daily round, had reluctantly to be set aside. There was, in fact, during the first two terms of the year, very little else but work accomplished.

Look¬ing back, it may be possible to take heart from the fact that some schools could not even work. Many, perhaps, may think such a consideration not a bit heartening; if so, they will have to remain unconsoled, for during the Easter term, mercifully short, hard¬ship only increased when the most severe winter in half a century pre¬vented the ordinary games from being played, and early spring ushered in an epidemic of illness which almost put a stop even to work. But it did not quite come to that, and before the term came to an end, and when the frost had loosened its grip, a series of House Matches was played with the utmost vigour, though illness still limited the senior matches to a seven-a-side competition.

July 1941

On Wednesday, February 15th, a most successful War Weapons Exhibition was held in the College Hall, and from this venture the Wimbledon War Weapons Week benefited to the extent of some £15.

Also, in connection with the War Weapons Week, we must congratulate B. Mitchell, Lower Grammar, who won the Mayor’s Junior Prize Essay on the Subject of Saving in War Time.

At the commencement of the Summer term, the normal school order was resumed. Classes begin at 9.30 a.m. after morning prayers and the customary half-holidays on Wednesday and Saturday are restored in place of the whole holiday on Saturday.

On May 30th Mr. H. Corbett-Palmer ('20-'27) of the Ministry of Economic Warfare gave an instructive talk on the important aspect of the war in which his ministry is engaged.

A REQUEST

In view of the difficulties in obtaining supplies of clothing, the Prefect General would be very glad to receive games and gym outfits for which the owners have no further use.

March 1942

On February 12th Lieutenant-¬Commdr. Eugene Esmonde, D.S.O., R.N., lost his life whilst leading his squadron of Swordfish in the attack against the German battle-cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the cruiser Prince Eugen. On February 27th it was announced that the King had approved the award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant-Commander Esmonde for valour and resolution in attack against the enemy. May he rest in peace.

Our congratulations are offered to Derek Baynham, who has been awarded the George Medal and the silver medal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institu¬tion for the rescue at sea of a Polish airman under the most hazardous conditions.

The College reassembled on Sept. 22nd, peacefully enough, in striking contrast to the conditions prevailing a year previously before the Battle for Britain had been fought and won.

On October 7th the senior boys were addressed by Colonel Ogden on the subject of the Air Training Corps.

An Emergency Feeding Centre and First Aid Post have been established at the College. The kitchen has been built by the tradesmen’s entrance. The swimming bath, which has been out of use for some time past, now provides the Wimbledon Fire Brigade with a static water supply.

There was again no Shrovetide play, neither since the war has there been an Academy or Christmas concert. This is a great pity as by this time the tradi¬tion for good acting at the College must be in serious danger of being lost, so that it is seriously hoped that every effort to revive the tradition will be made as soon as can be.

More than most College activities, Photo¬graphy has suffered as a consequence of the War. There are but few cameras about, many restrictions on their use, and it is seldom that one can obtain a film nowadays. As to printing-paper - well, if you happen to be in a shop just after some has arrived, you may get something, but you will certainly not get any choice either as to kind, size or grade. It is true that for a short time in the early part of the school-year we managed to keep going with printing from old films, but the shortage of materials is now so acute that even this has stopped. We can only hope that before long, perhaps in time for next year, conditions will have altered sufficiently for the Camera Club to take on a new lease of life and recover some of its former vigorous ac¬tivity.

1943-44

It is to be feared that in some future age happier than the present, complaints may be heard that this Magazine fell upon evil days at a time when complete and regular records of all that concerned the College and its alumni past and present were most to be desired. One can imagine an OW in 1960, having done himself well on a hearty tabloid dinner, switching on his radio/television set, and settling down comfortably in his tubular steel armchair to look up some item of historical interest about the School during the war-years of 1939-4?, only to give vent to profound disgust on finding that his sources of information run lamentably thin, just when he would like them to be full to overflowing.

Explanations and apologies for this regrettable lapse may satisfy readers of today, but one feels that it is only ordinary prudence to endeavour to placate the wrath to come by putting on record some account, not only of the difficulties which the College had to face during these strenuous years, but also of the very considerable and vitally important work we had to undertake to ensure the continued existence of the College during the period of social and economic adjustment anticipated in the post-war years.

Some of the difficulties imposed by war, such as air-raids, fire-watching, food-rationing, paper shortage, reduction of staff etc. etc. may be reflected in the memory of our future critic, and he may on second thoughts absolve us of the charge of neglect of duty, but it is possible he may not realise the extent to which those difficulties pressed upon us at a time when we had to face them alone, but also the task of endeavouring to provide for a future full of the menace of difficulties greater still.

Since the last issue of the Magazine two Savings Campaigns have been successfully conducted by the College Group. During ‘Wings for Victory Week’ in 1943, a total of £3200 was invested by members of the Group, a sum equal to a quarter of that collected by the rest of the schools in Wimbledon. This last year, during ‘Salute the Soldier Week’, £1003 was invested by the Group.

Mr. Strachan, who acted as financier-in-chief on these two occasions, is to be congratulated on these achievements, but a special word of gratitude on the second of these occasions is due to Wilfred Friis, who, when at the height of the campaign Mr. Strachan was taken ill, nobly stepped into the breach, and carried operations forward to their highly satisfactory conclusion. Thanks are due also to all who by their generous contribution enabled the College to reach its imposing totals, particularly those who live outside the Wimbledon Borough and so were called upon to be doubly loyal.

On the night of the 18th February, 1944, occurred the enemy air-raid which most closely affected the College. It fell in the Downs on the house occupied by the Filles de Marie, kill¬ing five of the Sisters and wounding several others. The bomb must have exploded high up on contact with the roof, as the blast swept the entire neighbourhood. Most of the College windows facing west were blown in, and con¬siderable damage was done to the older parts of the buildings. The swimming-bath was so severely damaged that the roof was rendered unsafe and had subsequently to be removed. The whole School attended the Requiem Mass for the dead Sisters on the 24th.

V-E DAY

On the morning of 8th June, 1946, ‘V-E Day,’ the following telegram was sent by the boys of the College to M. Raczkiewicz, Presi¬dent of the Polish Republic, and to the People of Poland.: -

‘We are very sorry that our friends the gallant Poles, the comrades of our fathers and brothers at El Alamein, Monte Cassino and Arnhem, are not to march in the Victory Procession to-day. We should have liked to cheer you in the streets of the city; you fought to protect us in the Battle of Britain, and we want you to know that we shall not forget our debt to you. Please accept this message as a token of the affection felt by millions of our countrymen who, like ourselves, hope and pray for Poland’s resurrection.
Henry Wardale (Captain), William Maeckelberghe (Vice-Captain).’

To this telegram, M. Raczkiewicz sent a most gracious reply.

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