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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 died, he heard Mass in the church pinpoint the location, the area became Media, was anchored in the Hooghly Leo, who was at Ratcliffe from 1913 although dedicated to the Immaculate at Longueval [pictured below, during part of the front line and was then River (below). That first day he was to 1920. Conception, was built as a memorial the war and today]. We slept there, fiercely fought over in 1915, 1917 ordered, with others, to go and act as There is the possibility that at least to the fallen of the two World Wars. the night before, in the church, it was and 1918 (rather like parts of the part of a skeleton crew on a seized one other Old Ratcliffian became a This article ends with a photograph of very wet and the rest of the village Ypres Salient) – so much so that forty fatal casualty in the first four months William (Billie) Thorley (OR 1910 – was full. villages in the battle zone here were of war, in this case during the First 1916); extraordinarily enough, he was never rebuilt after the war, and of Battle of Ypres, not far from Hill 60. the only pupil who was in the College Beaulne there remains not a trace; However, his name does not appear after the outbreak of the war who of Chivy all there is of the village is on the College War Memorial and so was killed during it. He was a quite a memorial chapel. It is just possible there will have to be a certain amount brilliant all rounder – his story will be that the body was found after the of investigation before we start asking a theme of future articles in this series war and, in which case, it is likely for a monumental mason to come and in the magazine. to be in Vendresse British Cemetery, add a name to the Chapel memorial to the east of his original grave; but (though perhaps it is worth reminding Br Nigel Cave (72) if it is, he is amongst the unknowns readers that the whole Chapel, World War One Historian buried there. Roy Fitzpatrick is Chief Archivist, Rosminian Order commemorated on the La Ferté sous Jouarre Memorial to the Missing (below), which records the names of German merchant ship, Freienfels. The Centenary of the First World War all those who have no known grave With an increased crew, the ship was who were killed in the Retreat from ordered to Bombay (Mumbai) and Remembrance Service at Ratcliffe College Mons, the Marne and the Aisne. He refitted so that it could take on board was a few weeks short of his thirtieth men (and animals) of the Camel Corps Tuesday 11th September 2014 for operations in the Persian Gulf. The ship, suitably reorganised, moved to The Senior School, along with Karachi, where it arrived on October all its staff, attended Ratcliffe’s 15th. He was taken ill on the 18th, Remembrance Service in the Chapel, was sent to hospital on the 20th and presenting its own commemoration then became very ill (with what was of the First World War. It was a very now diagnosed as typhus fever) on the moving service which included the 23rd, when he became unconscious ‘Last Post’ and the customary two and died at about noon on the 25th. minutes’ silence. You could have His parents were to suffer another heard a pin drop in the Chapel, which loss, because his older brother by two was full to capacity. To see so many birthday, married (to an adopted years, Edward Lawlor (OR 1906 – young people totally absorbed in what daughter of the Earl of Sheffield) but 1909), was killed in the fighting that was being presented to them was, in with no children. His older brother, itself, a very special tribute to all those Fitzpatrick’s mother got more details took place in the days immediately from Private Long, whom she (with Joseph, survived the war, much following the formal end of the Battle who died in the two World Wars. her daughter) visited in hospital at of which he spent in the almost of the Somme. At least they were left Naturally, the service paid particular Millbank and who was with him when unknown campaigns in West Africa. the consolation of a remaining son, attention to the Old Ratcliffians who he died. Long had just asked Roy The fourth OR to die whilst on active died during the First World War. Two the time and he replied that it was service in the opening months of the letters were read out by students 3.30(pm), remarking how lucky he war was John Lawlor (OR 1906 – - one to the mother of Lieutenant was to have gone through the day 1910, b. 1895) (pictured, right). without being hit. He has scarcely His is an interesting case. At the Humphrey Coghlan RFA (1901), said the words when a shell burst outbreak of war, he was serving with who was killed in battle on August and struck him down. Private Long … the Merchant Marine en route to 26th 1914 (he was the first OR to immediately rushed and asked him Calcutta (Kolkata) harbour. He offered be killed during the First World War), where he was wounded. Roy was not his services immediately he could get and the other to Father President, Fr able to reply, but placed his hand on ashore, in late August 1914, and, Cremonini, about the death of Capt. his chest between the heart and the although he had signed up and indeed Gabriel Roy Fitzpatrick (1899), who shoulder. Private Long went down taken part in an action, he did not live was killed in battle on September on his knees to undo his tunic when long enough for his appointment to go 14th 1914. It was no wonder that another shell burst which blew the through channels and so he does not the congregation was engrossed, as pack off Long’s back and the rifle have a war grave; he is buried in St both of these letters were extremely out of his hand. A splinter of shell Patrick’s Cathedral cemetery, Karachi. moving. struck him in the leg and bowled him over. It was this shell that actually John was born in Bristol. After The service was brought to a close dropped on Roy and killed him; there Ratcliffe, he went off to Cadet with the sound of bagpipes as the CCF was scarcely a fraction of a minute School in anticipation of service in marched out of the Chapel in single between the two shells. the Merchant Marine and first went file. to sea in 1911, reaching the rank Alas, although the detailed directions of Third Officer by August 1914. Jackie Bennett to the grave are amply sufficient to Whilst in Calcutta, his ship, the Editor 66 Register o 67 67 66 Register online at www.ratclifanassociation.co.uknline at www.ratclifanassociation.co.uk