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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Son of Rev, H, G, Bird, Newdigate Rectory, Surrey, b. 1883.
Shell—Remove. School Prefect. Head of House. XI Cricket 1900-02; XI Football. Lieutenant in Corps.
New College, Oxford; B.A. 1906; played Cricket v. Cambridge 1904-06 (captain); represented Gentlemen v. Players.
Assistant Master at Ludgrove.
5th Bn. Attd. 2nd Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
"He was ordered to lead his men out of the trenches across an exposed 300 yards, and was killed instantaneously by machine gun fire whilst cheering them on. Every officer in the charge was either wounded or killed.”
Canon S. R. James writes of him: "When I first came to Malvern in Sept. 1897, one of the new boys in School House was Wilfred Bird. From the beginning of his school career, the most cordial and pleasant relation existed without a break between us. He was perhaps a little mistrustful of himself, and did not always find it easy to cope with difficulties, but he grew steadily in vigour of all kinds, and made many friends. Besides his brilliant career as a cricketer, he was a School Prefect and Head of School House, in which capacity I know of a certainty that he was truly conscientious and devoted himself unsparingly to the highest interests of the school and house. ' One of the best,' he remained humble, kind, upright, and God-fearing to the last." (Malvernian, Jun 1915).
Detailed Biography
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Son of W. A. Clarke, The Homestead, Manor Road, Leicester, b. 1896.
Lower Modern II—Matriculation Class. School Prefect. XL Football.
Articled to a Solicitor.
1st/4th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment.
'His last thought was for others, for when his trench came under fire, he refused to take shelter until he had seen all his men were under cover. He had just got the last man to a place of safety when he was killed. He was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant last August at the age of 17. His keenness and capability had already won him the reputation of being one of the most promising young officers in the regiment.’ (The Malvernian, Jun 1915)
Biography
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Born 6th October 1893. Son of John Selwyn Cowley, Surgeon & J.P., and Lilian Fuller Cowley, of Willow Bank, Upton-on-Severn, Worcs.
Upper IV B—Army II.
1st Bn. Northamptonshire Regiment.
Service record:WO 339/9335
Remembrance ceremony at Upton
Son of George Eden Hunt and Mrs. Eden Hunt, of 144, Coleherne Court, South Kensington, London and Wadenhoe, Northants. B. December 10, 1881.
Modern IV—Lower Modern I. XL Football; Ledbury Cap.
Northamptonshire Regt. (from Militia) 1903; Captain 1912; served with 3rd Battalion in South African War 1902, Queen's Medal and 2 Clasps.
On 16th Sept 1914 he was badly wounded in the back at the Battle of Aisne, during the afternoon, by a shell splinter, and sent home. "During this day [Aisne, 16 Sep 1914] we had still another severe loss amongst the officers, as poor "Mother" Hunt (Captain Ward Hunt) was badly wounded in the back during the afternoon by a shell splinter. One of the very best, I had known him intimately for several years with the 2nd Battalion when I was attached to it in 1910, and at the Depot when he was doing duty there. One of the world's most cheery souls, with a heart of gold, "Mother" was popular wherever he went." (2Lt EJ Needham's account).
On 25 Feb 1915 he returned to France, and on 9th May led an attack against German trenches at the Battle of Aubers Ridge, and although badly wounded he carried on and was killed. "The poor old boy went out again to the 58th in 1915 and was killed at Aubers Ridge on the fatal 9th May. A very great little gentleman and a really good friend." (2Lt EJ Needham's account). In The Battle of Aubers Ridge, 9th May 1915, the 2/Northants were in the Northern Pincer movement, and had 426 casualties that day, of which 12 were officers. More than 11,000 British casualties were sustained on 9 May 1915, the vast majority within yards of their own front-line trench.
Detailed biography