The following is a list with biographies of the 462 people who attended Malvern College and died due to the First World War. Altogether 2,833 are known to have served. There is also a corresponding page commemorating the 249 casualties in the Second World War.
There was not a month from August 1914 to November 1918 that an Old Malvernian did not become a casualty, with 6 killed on the first day of the Battle of Loos on the 25th September 1915 and 13 killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on the 1st July 1916.
The vast majority of casualties occurred in France and Belgium with 31 names recorded on the Menin Gate at Ypres, and 23 at Thiepval. There were also 23 casualties in Turkey due to the Gallipoli Campaign, and 16 in Iraq, including 2 near Kut.
They were in a wide range of regiments including 26 in the Royal Field Artillery, 13 in the Royal Engineers, 12 in the Worcestershire Regt, 11 in the Canadian Inf, 11 in the East Kent Regt (The Buffs), and 5 in the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Air Force.
Most were officers with 133 Captains, 126 2nd Lieutenants, 114 Lieutenants, 26 Majors, and 15 Lieutenant Colonels.
29 received the MC, 10 the DSO and 1 the DCM, as well as 3 knighthoods (the CB, CMG, and MVO).
The information below is based primarily on the memorial books held at Malvern College which Ian Quickfall, and now Paul Godsland, the Malvernian Society archivists, have arranged to be digitised with the official memorial web site still in development.
Further information was also obtained from 'The Malvern College Register 1865-1924' edited by H.G.C Salmon, 'The Malvernian' school magazine, 'A History of Malvern College 1865 to 1965' by Ralph Blumenau, and 'Malvern College: A 150th Anniversary Portrait' by Roy Allen.
Information was also obtained from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website, the Unit War Diaries and Service Records held at the National Archives in Kew, and various online commemorative websites whose links have been provided.
The main battles have tried to be identified in which Old Malvernians died in. Many though were killed in the general attrition of Trench Warfare which is so vividly described in the book 'Nothing of Importance' by Bernard Adams.
Below is a map showing the locations of the 246 cemeteries where Old Malvernians are buried or commemorated in. The markers are coloured yellow for one casualty, orange for between 2 and 9, and red for 10 or more. The name of the cemetery and number of casualties can be seen by hovering over the marker, and the list of names seen by clicking on the marker. Their full biographies and pictures can be seen by clicking on 'Further Info'.
The records can be filtered and/or sorted by name, house, age, regiment, battle, date, place etc by clicking on the appropriate drop down box and then the 'Search' button below the map. The original memorial book entry can be seen by clicking on the person's picture.
.jpg "View original memorial book page")
Son of Major Otto J. Bell of 7 Palliser Court Baron's Court London and The Manor House, Hampton-on-Thames, and the late Sybil Ormond Bell.
Lower IV—Middle IV.
Great War, Private East Surrey Regt.
'The son of Major O. J. Bell (O. M.), of the Manor House, Hampton-on-Thames, he was serving as a Private in the East Surrey Regiment, and was accidentally killed, at Clipstone Camp, on July 19th, at the early age of eighteen.' (Malvernian, Dec 1919).
Son of Fredrick Ashfield Wright and Ann Wright, Hitchin. b. 1883.
Ill—Middle V. School Prefect. XI Cricket; House XI Football.
Solicitor 1907.
Husband of Elizabeth Helen Wright, of Moor Mead Hill, Hitchin, Herts.
Great War, O.T.C. 1914; Captain 7th Bn. King's Shropshire Light Infantry.
'He was articled to a firm of solicitors in London, and afterwards practised at Hitchin with his father. At the outbreak of war he joined the Inns of Court Officers' Training Corps, and soon received his commission. From a Hitchin local paper we take the following account: "Captain Wright was widely known as a cricketer and as the captain of the Hitchin Cricket Club. Before the war he had a regular place in the County Eleven, and invariably did well. He was not only a good bat and change bowler, but smart in the field; he set his men an excellent example of keenness. This fine example he set also in the more arduous game of war and in the larger field of battle. He was a true type of the new British officer—a courageous leader of the New Army." (Malvernian, Jul 1916).
Unit War Diary extract:
'Carnoy. 14th July 1916. 3.30am. Battalion advanced towards German trenches and were held up by barbed wire. Remainder leaped into shell holes & consolidated along road 200 yards from German trench. At 12pm Battalion again charged & captured both 1st & 2nd trenches & also 250 prisoners. When all battalion were collected & consolidating German 2nd trench we found 5 officers were untouched, the remainder were wounded or killed, with heavy losses in the ranks - 147 killed, 278 wounded, 16 missing.
Captain Wright was one of the many officers who died of wounds. '
Unit War Diary:WO 95/1421/4