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 W. H. Battle, 49 Harley Street, W. b. 1894.
Middle IV—Army II. House Prefect. Shooting VIII.
R.M.C. Sandhurst; Worcestershire Regt. 1914.
Great War, killed in action October 21, 1914.
Biography at Bedales
Service record: WO 339/11139
Geni profile
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Born Oct 20th 1896, Mhow, Central India. Son of Lieut.-Colonel V. B. Bennett, I.M.S.
Army II—I. Lygon Scholar. School Prefect. XXII Cricket and Football; Ledbury Cap; Gymnasium IV 1913-15; Anderson Medal 1914,15. Cadet Officer.
R.M.A. Woolwich; R.E. 1915; Lieutenant 1916.
'It was impossible to imagine Vivian Bennett adopting any career in life but that of a soldier. No other profession could have satisfied him; and in him a fine soldier, who promised to go far in the service, has been lost. From boyhood he always showed a fearlessness, prevented by his good brains from developing into recklessness, which was bound to make him a leader of British soldiers. Above all he possessed so bright and cheerful a disposition that everyone loved him. Never to be depressed, and always to see some humour in every circumstance, is a gift worth possessing at any time, but on active service it is beyond price. This Bennett had, and his old Malvern friends—and many a sapper, officer and man—will feel the sadder for his death.' (Malvernian, Dec 1917).
On the 25th Sept 1916, he was buried under the bricks of a house wall knocked down by a shell and sustained an injury to his left knee.
Next of Kin: Mrs Alexandra Philippa Bennett (mother), c/o Messrs Thomas Cook & Son, Bombay
Siblings: Hugh & Helen
NB: Malvern College in 1919 sent details of the proposed war memorial and the roll of honour to the war office which are now in his service record file.
Biography at Northam remembered
Service record:WO 339/55508
Son of A. Kerwood, Watling House, Barnt Green, b. 1886.
Middle V—Remove. Minor Scholar. Lea Shakespeare.
Solicitor 1908; Captain 8th Worcester Regt. 1909;
Great War, mobilised 1914, Major.
He disembarked at Boulogne on March 31, 1915, with the 1/8th Battalion.
He was promoted to Major at the front and became Second-in-Command of the 1/8th Worcesters.
'Major Kerwood had always taken a keen interest in military matters. Twelve years ago he joined the Volunteers at Redditch. He became a captain, and was instrumental in raising a company of Territorials at King's Norton. He afterwards obtained funds for building a drill hall, which was opened about four years ago. He went to the front a year and eight months ago, and was killed in action on October 21st while in temporary command of a battalion of the Cheshire Regiment.' (Malvernian, Dec 1916).
He was killed on October 21, 1916, while in temporary command of the 13th (Service) Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, when the unit made a successful assault on Regina Trench, which ran north of Courcelette, in which the battalion captured around 250 prisoners.
Redditch Advertiser
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Son of Son of John Walmesley, of Lucknam, Chippenham, Wilts and Mrs. Ewart, 8 Holyrood Terrace, The Hoe, Plymouth, b. 1890.
Army III.
Magdalene College, Cambridge; 3rd Batt. Yorkshire Regt. 1910.
Great War, Lieutenant 1914. 3rd Bn. attd. 2nd Bn. Yorkshire Regiment.
'He went to France early in Oct 1914, and was killed in action about the 21st of the same month, near Ypres.
He was shot though the head, death being instantaneous and was the first of his regt to fall.
Lieut Walmsley is described as a thorough soldier whom his men would have followed anywhere.
He was a keen sportsman and a well known and fearless rider to hounds. He was Master of the Cambridge Harriers, 1912-13, and hunted with the Quorn, the Belvoir, and the Cottesmore, during the winter of 1913-14.' (De Ruvigny).