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.
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Father: William Robert Le Guyt Anderson, C.B., Rawal Pindi, India,
Mother: Emilie Frances Anderson
Christened: 23 Jan 1884, Holy Trinity, Rugby
Service Number 675725.
"C" Bty. 285th Bde. Royal Field Artillery
Born June 30th 1887. Son of F . M. Laing, Farnley Grange, Corbridge-on-Tyne.
Middle IV B—Science Form.
Shipowner.
He attended Armstrong College in Newcastle, where he studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Engineering. He gained a BSc.
Great War, Captain 20th (Tyneside Scottish) Bn. Northumberland Fusiliers.
Husband of Edith Frances Laing, of 15, Kingsland, Jesmond, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Extract from unit war diary:
Greenland Hill
On the morning of June 6th 1917, the enemy were reported by the Royal Flying Corps to be holding the position with about twenty men, so it was decided to attack at once over the open, the men of No 1 and 3 Coys to assist by bombing along the trench. At about 2.30pm one of our light trench mortars opened a short burst of fire, and this attack was made as soon as the Stokes Gun finished firing. The enemy appeared to be taken by surprise as the whole position was captured with only slight resistance, although two officers and seventy two other ranks were taken prisoner, two light machine guns and one light trench mortar captured.
At 1am (on the 7th) the enemy launched a strong counter attack but only succeeded in getting to within twenty yards of our trenches with at least 400 casualties. Our casualties were very small.
Newcastle University memorial
Service record:WO 339/14775
Unit war diary:WO 95/2462/4
Son of Dr. Charles Edward and Elizabeth Morris, of Campden, Glos., and London, Ontario, b. 1886.
Ill—Middle IV B.
Settled in Canada.
Great War, Private 31st Bn. Canadian Infantry.
Son of T. F. Porter, Sandheys, Blundellsands, Liverpool, b. 1898.
Middle IV A—Upper Modern II. Morgan Engineering. School Prefect. Shooting VIII. Goldingham Cup.
Great War, 2nd Lieutenant R.F.C.
'Fitz Porter was a born engineer, but what pleased him even more than engineering was to tackle anything in School or out of it with an unconquerable perseverance. This was the characteristic that marked him out for the position of prefect and showed every promise of success in the future. News of his fatal accident brought a genuine regret to all who knew anything of him and had formed high hopes of his career; but they will ever remember how inspired they have been by his generous friendship, his cheery optimism, and his fixed resolve to go straight and hard.' (Malvernian, Jul 1917).
.jpg "View original memorial book page")
Born April 8th 1881. Son of Charles Henry and Mary Elizabeth Weston, of "Somerville," St. John's Park, Ryde, Isle of Wight., and Bath.
Lower IV—Lower V.
King's College, Cambridge; B.A. (Third Class History Tripos) 1904; with Cambridge Settlement and the London Charity Organization Society.
Great War, Private 1914, 2nd Lieutenant 16th Bn. London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles) 1916.
'At the outbreak of war he was in the office of the Charity Organization Society. Enlisting in the Queen's Westminster Rifles, he was given a commission, but had only been a short time at the front when he was wounded on May 21st, and succumbed on June 6th. He was one of those quiet lovable boys who live uneventful lives at school, and wait for things to happen before they show their metal afterwards. The following account, taken from The Times bears this out:— "He was one of the university men led to take up the assistance of persons in distress as their life work by their experience of work under Mr. Walter Long's Committee on the Unemployed, 1904-5. In 1905 Mr. Weston entered the service of the Charity Organization Society, and took charge of their work in the large district of Wandsworth. From that date until he left to join the Army in May, 1916, his devotion to the service of his neighbours, and his personal charm and exceptional ability, made him a leader in all voluntary effort for ameliorating the condition of the less fortunate, young and old, in that district. He was instrumental in starting branches of the Invalid Children's Aid Association and Skilled Employment Association; he was chairman of the Old-Age Pensions Committee; he helped to start Parochial Relief Committees at St. Mary's, Putney, and St. Anne's, Wandsworth. He also took a very active part in the work of the Prince of Wales's Relief Fund, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Families' Association, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Help Society, and the War Savings campaign. His relations with official bodies—borough councils, Poor Law guardians, school care committees—were of the most cordial character.' (Malvernian, Jul 1917).
He died of wounds at No 45 Casualty Clearing Station.
He is commemorated on the family grave at Walcot Cemetery, Lansdown Road, Bath.
Service record:WO 374/73279
Unit War Diary: WO 329/3272