King William Street CE Primary School

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Our School during World War I

At the outbreak of the First World War, the school was used to accommodate troops from the Warwickshire Territorials and a temporary cook house was erected in the playground. Lessons were held in the Parish Room, Church Hall and Newport Street Men's Club (the old National School premises) for several weeks, but the school was soon no longer required as a billet, and the pupils were able to return. Staffing was disrupted by enlistment, necessitating the transfer of staff between local schools, and books and other teaching materials were often in short supply, but the school continued as normally as possible. The following entries selected from the Boys School Log Book give an idea of school life during the war.

23.1.1914 Lent a small board and easel to the Belgian refugees residing in South Street, to assist one of the Belgians in teaching the Flemish children who are residing in Swindon.

14.12.1914 Mr Colborne, assistant master, has joined the London Battalion for Home Defence, and proceeds to Woolwich today.

28.1.1915 Received notice that when enemy aeroplanes are in the vicinity, the factory Hooter will blow 6 blasts to warn inhabitants.

12.3.1915 It having come to my knowledge that several of our old boys are prisoners of war in Germany I have asked for various articles of food and clothing from the children to send to them. The response has been very generous and 3 packages of food have been despatched.

4.5.1915 Received a postcard of thanks from Pvt. Cullingford, an old scholar, who is a prisoner in Germany, for a parcel of comforts sent on March 17th.

14.6.1915 Mr Hanson, assistant master, joined the R.A.M.C. and left at 12 to undergo the necessary training.

2.7.1915 Sgt. Cannon, to whom the children have been sending parcels of food, visited the school and thanked the boys for their presents. He has been released after 10 months imprisonment in Germany, but being in the R.A.M.C. he has been liberated.

19.6.1916 Visits of various old boys - one with trophies from the war.

5.9.1916 Mr J. Adams, who has been called up for military service, has been exempted, and his papers have been filed and marked.

30.4.1917 (Food Control Campaign) The Head Teachers have been asked to announce the lectures on the cooking of flour substitutes, distribute leaflets, and urge the children to avoid waste of any kind of food.

29.5.1917 I regret to have to record the death of Mr C. Fell, who was an assistant master in this school. He joined an infantry regiment, and after training proceeded to France. He died of wounds received in action.

20.8.1917 Received a circular asking that arrangements could be made to collect and store horse-chestnuts for forwarding to the Director of Propellant Supplies under the Minister of Munitions.

2.10.1917 The boys have brought about 3 cwt of chestnuts to school and there is a danger of them becoming mildewed.

9.10.1917 Two boys admitted. They are children of parents who have left London in consequence of the air raids.

23.8.1918 Lieut. J. Packer, a former scholar, was killed while practising aerial fighting at Oxford.

11.11.1918 11.45. News received that the armistice had been signed at 5am today, and that hostilities cease at 11 am. Great excitement among the boys.

27.2.1919 Mr. H. Hanson and Mr. J Hurst lately demobilised, returned and took up their positions again.