CALLUM’S JOURNEY: DURLSTON’S SCHOOL PLAQUE AND REMEMBERANCE.
Callum has been a pupil at Durlston Court Prep School, now also a Senior School, (Durlston Prep & Senior School), in New Milton, since February 2017 at the tender age of 6.
From 4 years of age after fascinating long chats with his Granny, regarding her experiences as a young child outside of Belfast, during the second world war, Callum has had a tremendous love of History and a deep respect for those who took part in any conflict.
Mr Richard May, the Headmaster of Durlston and also a Historian, has encouraged Callum with his love of history no end, ever since he met Callum on his very first day at Durlston in Year 2.
During Years 3-5, Mr Stephen Petty, a former master at the school and well-known Historian, was invited to mentor Callum and further progress his advancing history knowledge. Mr Petty also presented the remembrance service at the school each year, explaining details of some of the Old Durlstonians who had paid the ultimate sacrifice during the First and Second World Wars.
Due to all of this encouragement, Callum developed a deep sense of remembrance and fascination to understand why conflict occurred, how it was conducted and how it effected the future. Now at the age of 13, nearly all school holidays are spent on the battlefield. Callum has also started a blog for his Battlefield visits, (BattlefieldHistory.co.uk), allowing pupils and anyone interested to follow his travels and maybe understand why this subject is such a passion for him.
Durlston Court School was founded in 1903 near Durlston Head in Swanage. It started as a small boy’s prep school. Many of those initial pupils took part in the First World War. Durlston has 22 names recorded of Old Durlstonians who lost their lives during the First World War. Callum felt some work needed to be done to allow the school and its pupils to have a greater understanding of who these twenty names, listed on a wooden board in the chapel, were, how they relate to the current pupils today and to provide debate and remembrance to those events.
In July 2022, Callum decided to visit the Battlefields of the Western Front to track down, photograph, and collate any details he could find of the last resting places of these Old Durlstonians. This he did and Callum’s findings where presented to the whole school during their Remembrance Service.
Back in April 2022, Callum visited St George’s Church in Ypres (Ieper). St George’s Church was built after the end of World War One to provide an Anglican place of worship for all the families visiting the area, to be able to pay their respects to the loved ones they had lost. This church is a beacon for Commonwealth Remembrance with the walls covered with brass plaques commemorating those who took part in the Great War. There are plaques from Divisions, Regiments, welfare organisations, families, individuals, and schools. It is akin to a metal tapestry of remembrance.
Callum felt that he should enquire and find out if the Church is still allowing plaques to be created and placed upon the walls. There is not a great deal of space left, however. Regardless of this fact, Callum felt so passionately that his fellow Old Durlstonians should most prominently have a focal point of reverence and a legacy for the school, allowing past and present pupils to visit the area and relate to those who fought for what we take so very granted for today.
After Callum’s project in July 2022, regarding the fallen Old Durlstonians, Callum felt it was time to make an enquiry to the Church and contacted Revd McMullon. It was shortly after this that Mr John Arnold, the treasurer of the church, was appointed by the Revd, to enquire about the possibility of Durlston Court School having their own plaque placed on the hallowed walls of the chapel.
It took some time for a reply to come as Mr John Arnold, the church treasurer, had to wait until a church council meeting had been held and permission could be granted. In October 2022 John replied with the disappointing news that the Church had no more spaces for School Plaques.
Undeterred by the sad news, Callum explained his disappointment to Mr Arnold and contacted some of the leading Battlefield Historians explaining his plight. Callum also spoke to Benoit Mottrie, the Chairman of the Last Post Association in Ypres, (Ieper), asking if he could help.
Astonishingly, in January 2023, an email was received from Mr John Arnold, Church Treasurer, confirming that they would indeed allow a Durlston School plaque to be erected. Understandably Callum was beyond delighted.
Callum and Mr Richard May, the Headmaster of Durlston, then held meetings to decide on the wording for the plaque. Callum had specimen photos of current school plaques in the chapel and the wording they had used. Callum collated his own designs ready to present to Mr May. Between the two of them they agreed on the wording and felt that it should be something unique to Durlston Court.
On reading the school’s history Callum had discovered that the school, in 1903, created their own anthem or song which had been written by the founder of the school, Mr GT Atkinson. The following verse was chosen for the plaque…
Many a minster far renowned Sprang from stone of Durlston ground, And Durlston boys as the ages go, Shall build up a name that will always grow.
Their verse was perfect, as the young boys of Durlston who grew into soldiers and officers, paid the ultimate sacrifice so the young children of today are able to grow and become whatever they choose to be.
Once Callum and Mr Richard May had agreed on the wording and artwork, it was sent to Mr John Arnold for a proof to be prepared. Mr Richard May agreed and in February 2023, final proof was provided by the plaque company, Arte Grosse in Brugge Belgium.
On the 14th April 2023 Callum was back in Ypres for the official unveiling of the plaque. Both Mr John Arnold, the Church Treasurer and Benoit Mottrie, the Chairman of the Last Post Association in Ypres, (Ieper), were in attendance. It had been a year since Callum had first thought of remembering his fellow ex-pupils within the church. Callum had now managed to create a legacy for the school and a place of remembrance for the relatives of those who did not return home, for Old Durlstonians and also current pupils to be able to witness those who went before them and are not forgotten.
Callum also laid a wreath to the Old Durlstonians at the Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate on the 17th April 2023. Dressed in his Durlston Court uniform he paid his respects, laid the wreath, and read out the Exhortation. The ceremony was held on the ramparts just outside the Menin Gate as it is being refurbished for the next two years, ready for it centenary. The 17th April was the first time the ceremony had been held in this location and it was televised by Belgium Television due to the historic change of location.
Callum feels it is so important to understand the past and the tragic events which have shaped our today and will also shape our future. His goal was always to give much greater depth to the names listed on a Roll of Honour board located in the school chapel.
Callum’s research trip to Ypres in July 2022 and subsequent presentation of the findings to the school on Remembrance Day was the beginning of his journey. The plaque, now residing in St George’s Church Ypres is part of that journey as Callum continues to provide, not just the current but also future pupils of Durlston with ownership of the school’s history of Durlston.
Callum is now researching the full background history of all the World War One fallen who attended Durlston. He proposes to create an online school portal with details and pictures of these men. Callum is also proposing a permanent display and memorial to Ernest Pitcher, who was an employee of the school after the Great War. Mr Ernest Pitcher was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1917.
Mr May, the Headmaster asked Nick Saunders, an Old Durlstonian and local Historian to meet with Callum, and it was Nick who brought to Callum’s attention that a previous employee of Durlston had won the Victoria Cross. The school was aware of this, but any physical mention of it was not apparent. Callum has now started on another journey to address this.
Ernest Pitcher had worked for the school after World War One. He was a physical education and carpentry teacher as well as helping with the grounds of the school. Ernest Pitcher was awarded his VC while serving on a Q Ship under the command of Gordon Campbell VC.
Q ships are a fascinating subject to study, they were made to look like non military commercial ships to lure German U Boats to surface and check. Once the U Boat had surfaced, the Q ship would lower large panels to reveal their guns and attack the U Boat.
On the 8th August 1917, Ernest Pitcher was serving on the HMS Dunraven which was attacked by a German submarine. The Dunraven was hit and on fire, burning hot shells had to be carried by hand and its guns remained active. The following day, while under tow, she sank with the colours flying. Ernest Pitcher was in charge of a gun crew who were blown into the air when the ship was hit. The ship was awarded two Victoria Crosses and by ballot Ernest Pitcher was selected by the gun crew.
Callum felt there should be more information available within the school and is currently in discussions for a permanent memorial. Callum found that the Victoria Cross is owned by Lord Ashcroft and emailed him to explain what he is trying to achieve. Lord Ashcroft’s assistant confirmed that the Victoria Cross is on display within Lord Ashcroft’s Gallery, at the Imperial War Museum. Callum was then invited by Lord Ashcroft, via his assistant, to come to the gallery and take photos of the display, which he did with pride. (Normally one is not allowed to take photographs, at all).
After researching in depth into the actual making of the Victoria Cross, Callum contacted Hancocks of London. This upmarket jeweller has made every Victoria Cross awarded since June 1857. Guy Burton a Director at Hancocks, invited Callum to come to the London store so he could explain their history and show Callum the Victoria Cross Register. Their register lists every Victoria Cross and explains how they were engraved. Each Victoria Cross is engraved uniquely and this register is the security that each Victoria Cross is genuine. Remarkably, Callum was able to find Ernest Pitcher’s details, as well as others he was interested in. Guy Burton then presented Callum with one of the Limited-Edition Victoria Cross replicas. These were made and engraved by the same employees that made the real VCs. Callum is going to use one of these as a centre piece to his display and memorial to Ernest Pitcher. Hancocks are extremely proud of Callum’s endeavour to honour those past and most deserved of remembrance and were delighted to be a part of Callum’s journey in respecting the importance of a person’s position, in time, in our history.
Callum has also collected some other items for the display, such as an original first edition book about Q Ships, written by Ernest’s Captain of the Dunraven, Gordon Campbell VC. It is also signed by Captain Campbell himself.
Callum has been asked, by the Friends of the Indian Memorial, situated on the sea front of Barton on Sea, to act as an Ambassador for them. The memorial was erected in memory of the Indian Soldiers who came to Barton during the First World War.
There was a large camp along the cliff tops and some of the hotels were used as convalescence homes for injured Indian soldiers. The Friends of the Memorial are currently looking at the site to consider enhancing it with more recognition of those who came to Barton, at that time, but sadly, some of which, passed away.
One of those soldiers who came to Barton on Sea, to recover from his injuries, was Khudadad Khan VC. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions in Hollebeke, Belgium on the 31st October 1914. Sepoy Khan, which was his rank at the time of the action, was the first Indian soldier to have been awarded the Victoria Cross. The citation in the London Gazette read as follows:-
On 31st October 1914, at Hollebeke, Belgium, the British Officer in charge of the detachment having been wounded, and the other gun put out of action by a shell, Sepoy Khudadad, though himself wounded, remained working his gun until all the other five men of the gun detachment had been killed.
(The London Gazette)
Sepoy Khan had to fein death then crawl back to his lines under the cover of darkness. Due to his wounds, he was brought back to England and eventually to Barton on Sea for convalescence. On the 26th January 1915 he received his Victoria Cross from King George V.
Callum is currently trying to pinpoint the exact location of the two Vickers Gun positions where Khudadad Khan won his VC. Having looked through the war diaries and researched everything written on the 129th Baluchis regiment, Callum will return to Belgium late in July to walk the ground and photograph the locations.
Callum’s history blog is always updated when he visits the battlefields and he has posted many pages on visits covering Napoleonic, World War l and World War ll. Callum has already been to the battlefields of Ypres and the Somme twice this year and after returning to Belgium for a third time, will be off to Arnhem in the Netherlands during August.
Callum’s Blog: battlefieldhistory.co.uk
