Former pupils from an historic North-east school who died in the First and Second World Wars are to be honoured on Friday November 10th with a Memorial Service that dates back to 1922.
It was held each year in Sir William Turner’s School in Redcar and has now become part of the traditions of Redcar and Cleveland College, involving both current students and Old Boys of the school.
The ceremony embarks on its second century, as last year’s ceremony marked the 100-year anniversary of the dedication of the first school War Memorial, the imposing Celtic Cross that stands on the corner of the college grounds on Corporation Road Redcar.
Some 350 Old Boys from Sir William Turner’s School fought in the First World War, 48 of whom died on active service, and their names are on the memorial.
During the Second World War, there were 650 Old Boys who served in the armed forces, and 55 of them lost their lives. They are commemorated on a bronze plaque, commissioned in 1948 and kept in the college, although there is a replica in Coatham Memorial Hall, which was the school hall of Sir William Turner’s School.
In 2014, two leather-bound memorial books dedicated to those who lost their lives were compiled, after extensive research, by students of the college and two Old Boys of Sir William Turner’s School, Brigadier His Honour Philip Norris and local historian Peter Chester. These books will also be on display at the ceremony.
This year’s Remembrance Service will be held in the college’s Higher Education Centre at 2pm on Friday November 10. People wishing to attend are asked to assemble at 1.30pm. Current students from the college and former pupils and staff of Sir William Turner’s will contribute to the ceremony. Prayers will be led by Reverend Paul Peverell and Reverend Graham Pacey, both Old Boys of the school.
At about 2.30pm, an Honour Guard from the Royal British Legion will lead the congregation outside to the Celtic Cross War Memorial, on the corner of Corporation Road and Locke Road.
The Last Post will sound before two minutes’ silence is observed and wreaths will be laid by representatives of the Old Boys of Sir William Turner’s School, of Redcar and Cleveland College and of the Sir William Turner Foundation. Members of the congregation will also place small wooden crosses at the school’s memorials, each cross bearing the name of one of the Old Boys who lost their lives.
Following the service, refreshments will be served in the college. In recent years this ceremony has attracted significant numbers of people from across the area and beyond. Local civic dignitaries are present and members of the public are very welcome to attend the service.
The Sir William Turner Foundation has commissioned a website, www.sirwilliamturner.org.uk , on which brief historical details of the Old Boys who lost their lives can be found.
