WW1 REMEMBRANCE College commemorates Old Boys who died in WW1
One hundred and fifty-one painted white crosses in the Quadrangle were a powerful tribute to the 151 Christ's College Old Boys who died as a result of fighting in WW1.
As a mark of respect for the Old Boys, a commemorative chapel service took place on Sunday, 1 March as part of a Reunion Weekend. The crosses filled the lawn in front of the Chapel. Like many institutions around the country, Christ’s College was affected profoundly by the war. In 1913, the roll of the school was approximately 300. There were 665 Old Boys and staff who served and, of these, 124 were killed in action, 11 died from illness and 165 were wounded.
Headmaster Simon Leese says, “The culture of the time meant that boys and staff in private schools were trained as cadets to be prepared for future war. They believed it was their duty to the Empire and it was character- building to be prepared for personal sacrifice. In private schools throughout the British Empire, loyalty and patriotism were instilled in all students and staff. “The crosses will be a tangible reminder of the number of Old Boys who sacrificed their
lives. Many of them would be not much older than our senior boys and it is shocking to think of the waste of these lives.” College carpenter Peter Van Arendonk made the crosses. He says, “I have a son in the Armed Forces and think it was a great idea to commemorate the College Old Boys who died. Young people now have a much greater interest in the world wars and a lot of boys stopped to watch me make the crosses and showed interest in their significance.” “The crosses will be a tangible reminder of the number of Old Boys who sacrificed their lives. Many of them would be not much older than our senior boys and it is shocking to think of the waste
of these lives.” Peter Van Arendonk College carpenter
Peter Van Arendonk made the 151 crosses.
College Issue 29 2015
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