Lest We Forget

In 1916, two years into World War One, St John’s College was temporarily closed. So many young men had either volunteered or been conscripted, that they couldn’t recruit sufficient numbers of qualified men to open. The college was then requisitioned as a Voluntary Aid Detachment hospital, providing convalescent treatment for soldiers with less severe injuries. Meanwhile, many past students and staff members did their part for the war effort.

After World War One ended, there was a massive teacher shortage as so many had died during their military duty. The Education Act in 1918 also raised the school leaving age from 12 to 14, increasing the need for teachers.

Our Roll of Honour, housed in the entrance to our University chapel, commemorates the 84 students and alumni who gave their lives during World War One. Below, we have identified 17 photographs of some of those men from our archive. Some photographs show them in their uniforms, others are from group pictures or formal photographs from before the war started.

These 17 photographs shows a snapshot of the range of men who fought and died during World War One. Organised in chronological order of attendance at York St John, these photographs range from those who completed their course in 1902 and spent the following 12 years teaching and living in peace, to those who completed their courses in 1916 and were killed within 2 years.

World War One

Charles Cooper Wood attended York St John from 1900-1902.

Ralph Perry attended York St John from 1902-1904.

Ferdinand Klein attended York St John from 1904-1906.

Arthur Turner attended York St John from 1905-1907.

John Middleton Downend attended York St John from 1907-1909.

Samuel Beecher Horsman attended York St John 1907-1909.

Thomas Allen Bernin Kitson attended York St John from 1908-1910.

Frederick Alexander Murdoch attended York St John from 1908-1910.

Martin Vivien Jude attended York St John from 1909- 1911.

George Owen Burrell attended York St John from 1910-1912.

Jack Harrison attended York St John from 1910-1912.

Jack was awarded the Military Cross in February 1917 and the Victoria Cross posthumously in May 1917.

Edward Batley attended York St John from 1911-1913.

Joseph Bryan Bushby attended York St John from 1911-1913.

Ivan Essex attended York St John from 1911-1913.

Edward Fairless attended York St John from 1911-1913.

In 2016, we wrote a blog about Edward’s life, why alumnus Pat Neal laid a wreath for him on behalf of York St John, and about Edward’s experiences in the war. You can learn more about Edward’s life in our blog.

John Richard Hinchliffe attended York St John from 1911-1913.

Matthew Fullerton attended York St John from 1912-1914.

In 2016, we wrote a blog which included details about Matthew’s life and his final resting place next to fellow York St John alumnus, Edward. You can learn more in our blog post.

Rhodes Lister attended York St John from 1913-1915.

Cyril Frank Butler attended York St John from 1914-1916.

Harry Tindall attended York St John from 1914-16.

William Worthy attended York St John from 1914-1916.

World War Two

Despite teaching being a reserved occupation, many students were conscripted from York St John and other teacher training colleges. During the war, three other teacher training colleges were closed and their remaining students accommodated at York St John instead.

Our Roll of Honour also records the 54 students and alumni who gave their lives during World War Two, and we have so far identified two photographs in our archive of two of these men.

Arthur William Weston attended York St John from 1929-1931.

Charles Cedric Ridgway attended York St John from 1943-1945.

Lest We Forget

During World War One and World War Two, millions of people were killed from all walks of life. Whilst this blog post is focused on the teachers who attended York St John who were killed during these two conflicts, we do not have any records for the Ripon teachers who may have joined in non-combatant roles as nurses or drivers, who may also have given their lives.

We also have not touched on the millions of soldiers from Britain’s Empire who also fought and died during both World Wars. The National Army Museum and the British Library both have some fantastic and insightful resources into the roles of colonial forces in World War One. The Royal British Legion’s website gives some information on the role of colonial forces in World War Two, as does an archived BBC fact file.

At this time of year we often remember the soldiers who gave their lives, but it is also important to remember the medical staff, chaplains and a host of other military non-combatants who were also killed whilst discharging their duties. A new memorial exhibition at York St John commemorates the chaplains and nurses working in Normandy during World War Two who also gave their lives. You can find out more about this exhibit, how to attend it and its wider research on the York St John website.

To find out more about the men on our Roll of Honour, you can visit a website detailing information about their lives, and, if known, their resting place.