Old Eastbournian
Notes from the archives
Archivist Paul Jordan writes:
T hank you to everybody who has been in contact with the archives this year, whether making enquiries or offering dona- tions to our collection. We are pleased to announce that the digital archive has been expanded to include Old Eastbournian annual reports from 1974 to 1986, St Andrew’s Androvian maga- zines from 1938 to 1992, and photographs of Ascham prep school. The Eastbournian magazine now includes issues from 1949 to the 2017-18 issue, which was the last hard copy edition published. You can access the archive via the Eastbournian Society website at www.eastbourniansociety.org; however, you will have to register and be logged in for the link to ‘Digital archive’ to work. If you have any problems with registration please contact David Blake at
drblake@eastbourne-college.co.uk or on 01323 452262. Please be aware that as we expand the digital archive it is very much a work in progress and we know that some photographs may not be under the correct heading. We are addressing these issues, but if you do notice that something appears to be in the wrong place, please do let us know. My thanks, as ever, to archives volunteer Peter Durrant (Reeves 1967-71) who has been diligently adding names to College photos to make them searchable on the archive. We are always happy to help with any enquiries you may have. Please contact us at archives@eastbourne-college.co.uk or on 01323 451901.
D-Day diaries 2024 marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day and the allied invasion of Normandy during the Second World War. Extracts from two diaries held by the archives showed how the news was received back home: A member of College staff at Radley
Ian Gwynne-Jones A relative of William Ian Havelock Gwynne-Jones (Gonville 1937–41), known as Ian, contacted us with some corrections for Ian’s entry in the
Second World War Roll of Honour. We were also in touch with a researcher working on a project to record the details of those who served in 11th Armoured Division, including Ian, and we were able to send some photographs of him to her. The Roll of Honour
wrote in his diary: Tuesday 6 June 1944
that chapel service. Paul Walker (Crosby & Blackwater 1939–44) wrote in his diary: D-Day!! British, American and Canadian troops landed in Normandy at 12 last night, and fighting is going on in Caen! This dramatic news seems to have been eclipsed by the following entry on the same day: Scored at 1st XI match v Bloxham in afternoon. They made 134 for 4 declared, and we were 84 for 7 at draw stumps.
Well, the great day has at last arrived. D-Day opened this morning with Allied forces landed on the coast of France near a place near Caen on the Cherbourg peninsula. We have all been keyed up for this for such a long time that now it has arrived, all seems normal and natural that one wonders what is up. This evening we had a voluntary service of prayer for both schools for the men who are fighting this battle – the chapel was packed out. You would not get another person in there. I will always remember
Ian Gwynne-Jones in 1940
records that Ian landed in Normandy early on D-Day on Juno beach. He was part of a mission to destroy the bridges over the Orne River to delay a German counterattack on the allied forces. He was standing beside an ammunition lorry chatting to some of his men, when on 7 June 1944 they were attacked by American Thunderbolts. He was killed instantly.
Charles Chancellor An enquirer contacted us to ask if we had any information about his uncle, Charles Richard Chancellor, who was killed in a military air crash in August 1945. He was in the RAFVR as a skipper and pilot of a Lancaster that was taking POWs back to Italy; the plane hit bad weather over the Pyrenees where it crashed. He was originally posted to heavy bombers but, according to the College Roll of Honour, ‘he hated bombing, but rejoiced in the low-level flying and food dropping operations in enemy-occupied Holland.’ We found references in the archives to Charles Chancellor and his father, Edgar Charles Chancellor, both of whom attended the College. Charles was in Blackwater House from 1938-41 and his father was in Blackwater, 1911–13. Charles’s family are planning to hold a memorial service for him in France in August 2025.
Charles, standing third from the left, with his crew
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