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The Old Ratclifan 2014 | Introductionhe Old Ratclifan 2014 | Ratclife & Te First World War The Old Ratclifan 2014 | R T The Old Ratclifan 2014 | Introductionatclife & Te First World War September, but were increased by a Quite amazingly, all but one of the number (to go as six guns in the battery were saved high as fourteen) – a complicated process involving Ratcliffe in the Great War: Prologue and the First Months of Belgian and getting the horses up to the firing line and hauling them away, in this case French refugee pupils. more or less under the noses of the Germans. The scene: Ratcliffe College, 31st The occasion: The blessing and economically unsustainable to our Second July 1913, the last day of the official opening of new buildings: a eyes, it was, in fact, a middle-sized Lieutenant Humphrey’s Summer Term. refectory, new kitchens, matron’s school of its type – i.e. a private (promoted body was found and buried by lieutenant, but The main actors: His Eminence room, a servants’ hall; on the first boarding school. Doubtless the not gazetted the Germans: finances were assisted by the fact that Cardinal Francis Bourne, ten years floor, suites of new bedrooms; and on the clergy did not get paid and the before his death) he now lies, Archbishop of Westminster and two the second floor, new dormitories and two or three lay masters each received Humphrey Map indicating the right fank of II Corps it is believed, years a cardinal; Fr Joseph Cremonini washing facilities. It all cost, including twenty pounds a year, with no pension Coghlan, Royal at the Battle of Le Cateau. The number in Le Cateau ‘11’ in red indicates the approximate (1874), President of the College since the woodwork in the refectory (but or other contributions to be made by Field Artillery location of the six 18-pounder guns of Military Cemetery 1902; a clutch of bishops, including not the present furniture), just under (OR 1900 – Coghlan’s battery. [III.B.4] £10,000. the College, except for the fact that they got full board and lodging. 1901, b. 1890) (pictured above) (pictured above), one of the relatively was killed on August 26th 1914 at left flank of Haig’s I Corps. Because of few identified British burials of the The curriculum was surprisingly the Battle of Le Cateau. Although his the short notice and the peculiarities battle. The cemetery is an interesting diverse, but that is a matter that can father was a devoted OR, Humphrey of the position, the guns (Humphrey’s one, as besides the seven hundred or be examined in a subsequent edition only spent eighteen months at the would have been eighteen-pounder so British and Commonwealth burials, of this magazine. Suffice it to say College, coming when he was not field guns) were in amongst the that all pupils learnt three languages quite ten, and went from here to the infantry on a part of the battlefield (Latin, [Ancient] Greek and French), Edgbaston Oratory School (its move that was dominated by a small rise the majority four (plus German) and to Reading came later), where he was in the ground that became known as some six (plus Spanish and Italian); Head Boy. Young though he was at The interior of the new refectory Suffolk Hill (below). everyone learnt Music and Drawing Ratcliffe, he was the first ever pupil Also present: Approximately a (the latter not to be necessarily chosen to propose the toast to the hundred pupils, aged 10 to 18, identified with Art). There were sports staff, usually a humorous speech, of whom 30% would be leaving fixtures with other schools; the main which became a feature of the Immac School the following day for the last autumn and winter sport was football celebrations for the next eighty years L to R: Fr Aloysius Emery, Provincial time. Their fees are a maximum of (it became rugby, to which code or so. He went on to take a degree at at the outbreak of war, Joseph £90 a year – they had risen £15 all Catholic Public Schools turned, Fitzpatrick, OR (see Roy Fitzpatrick University College, Oxford (a relatively below) and Fr Joseph Cremonini, per annum in sixty-six years, whilst in 1921). The XI played, amongst recent possibility for Roman Catholics) there are also over five thousand President from 1895-1919 a number of pupils either paid no others, Wyggeston, Loughborough and then went to the Royal Military Germans (the Germans established the fees or substantially less. Also in Grammar and Nottingham High and Academy Woolwich, from which he cemetery in February 1916) and forty George Burton (1867) of Clifton, an attendance are the staff, amongst won all their games, except for a was commissioned into the Royal or so Russians, the latter prisoners of OR and an ex-Rosminian, who was whom are, presently, two lay teachers. narrow loss against Wyggeston. Of the Artillery in December 1913. At the During the battle, he was wounded war. He is also commemorated on an the founding genius of The Ratcliffian The remainder are provided by the 1913 XI, four were killed in the war; outbreak of the war he was with his three times – in both arms and a unusual memorial (above) to those in its first incarnation. Amongst other Rosminian community of some twenty several of the team were 15 or even artillery brigade in Kildare, Ireland. foot – but remained to serve the who fought on Suffolk Hill that day, notable Old Ratcliffians present is men, who also carry out a lot of the younger. He sailed for France (Le Havre) guns until, about six hours after the whilst his parents paid for the altar in Colonel Charles Coghlan (1867), domestic work, such as cooking, The academic year was long. The from Dublin on 17th August and first shots were fired, they ran out the War Memorial Chapel in St Anne’s owner of the Coghlan Steel and Iron assistance in the refectory, work on summer holidays lasted just over was present at the Battle of Mons of ammunition. At about the same Cathedral, Leeds, as a memorial to Company in Leeds and composer of the farm and so forth. seven weeks; there were ten days to a on 23rd August. Given the huge time, Humphrey was killed instantly him. His father the Old Boys’ (now Old Ratcliffians’) fortnight at Christmas and a week at mass of manpower and equipment by a shrapnel bullet to the head. He died in 1921, Song, whilst Burton, his contemporary This occasion marks the biggest Easter, the holiday starting after High being moved by rail, sea and road, was 24 years old. All of the battery’s brokenhearted – at Ratcliffe, wrote the lyrics. building programme at the College for to make the journey in less than a officers were casualties – though Humphrey was a good number of years: the last big Mass on Easter Sunday. About 15% of in fact only two were killed – and build was in the mid-1860s, when pupils did not go home at Christmas week was a most impressive logistical Coghlan was the last one standing an only child. what is now known as the Old Chapel and rather more stayed over the Easter achievement. for the last hour or two of the battle. Second was added, along with the south break. It is, therefore, quite easy to He was a member of 11 Battery Lieutenant west wing. Amazingly enough, it is understand the strength of the Old of XV Brigade RFA. Because of the Alfred Sang, planned to start on the next building Ratcliffian Association – some pupils circumstances leading up to the Intelligence programme in the summer of 1914 had spent eight and a half years out of action at Le Cateau, the new II Corps Corps (OR – a new gymnasium and swimming ten of their most formative years living Commander, Smith-Dorrien (his 1890 – 1893, pool, with associated changing in the College. predecessor died of a heart attack on b. 1876) (pictured above) was fatally facilities. These new facilities will cost The summer holidays began on 30th 17th August) decided that he had no wounded at the Battle of the Marne £1,000. July in 1914 for the 105 boys – only choice but to fight a battle on 26th on September 9th 1914; this was a Ratcliffe, therefore, was doing quite a few days before the outbreak of August. Coghlan’s battery was on the crucial battle, as it marked the end of well in terms of numbers and material the war. By 25th October, four Old right flank of the 5th Division, itself on any German hopes there might have development in 1914. Although a Ratcliffians in the forces had died the right flank of the Corps’ position, been for a speedy conclusion to the hundred or so pupils with an eight – three in action and one of typhus and vulnerable to attack from front war. and the open right flank, where there The new refectory (exterior view) year age range seems small and fever. School numbers were down in was a large gap of several miles to the The Suffolk Hill Memorial 62 Register o 63 63 Register online at www.ratclifanassociation.co.uknline at www.ratclifanassociation.co.uk 62