School House students, 1936
On Remembrance Sunday, Old Cholmeleians joined pupils, staff and the wider School community to honour those who gave their lives in service to their country.
At the Act of Remembrance in Chapel Quad, OC President William Wass (WG 1987), laid a wreath on behalf of the OC Society, paying tribute to the many Old Cholmeleians remembered on the School's memorial.
The service included the Last Post, two minutes' silence and Reveille, while the evening service in Chapel reflected on the sacrifices of OCs who served and died in the First World War and the Boer War.
In this photograph of School House students from 1936, we remember twin brothers James Black Bell and Robert Graham Bell, seated on opposite ends of the second row, who started at the Junior School in 1927. They were followed by their younger brother Gordon in 1930.
All three brothers served with the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.) during the Second World War. James was assigned to HMS Cape Howe, a special service vessel. It was struck by the German U-28 in June 1940 and, sadly, he did not survive. Out of a crew of 97, 40 survivors were rescued.
Gordon served as First Lieutenant aboard the HM MA/SB, a motor anti-submarine boat, followed by the motor gun boats HM MGB 318 and HM MGB 502 – the latter re-named in 1945 as HM MGB 2002. On 12 May 1945 he was part of a special mission to recover three British merchant ships from Gothenburg when his ship was hit by a mine. Gordon died only four months before the war ended.
Robert, James’ twin brother, became a Commanding Officer. He participated in many campaigns, including Operation Antidote and Operation Avalanche, and remained with HMS St Angela in Malta after the war. From 1948-62 he was a Commander with the R.C.N.R. (Royal Canadian Naval Reserve) and was awarded the Canadian Decoration.
A poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by generations of Old Cholmeleians.