The story of the military corps at Alleyn s School from earliest times to the present day
The School Fife and Drum band with EFP Carrick, teacher at Alleyn s, 1887 1923 ALLEYN S SCHOOL 1879 1886 Alleyn s School was set up, in its own right as an educational establishment, on the 18th of August 1882. It was formed out of what previously had been the Lower School of Alleyn s College of God s Gift (now Dulwich College), part of the charitable Foundation of 1619 created by Edward Alleyn. Although at this time there was no formal military cadet corps in place, it was noted by a pupil of the Lower School from 1879, George Swift, that our school hours were 9.00 to 1.00 and 1.30 to 3.30, except Tuesday and Thursday when we had half-anhour s drill. 1887 In October the Headmaster, the Revd. JH Smith, assembled the pupils in the old quad for the last time and then, headed by the School band, Alleyn s School marched through the Village and across the fields to the new school building in Townley Road. Brown s House, winners of the Shooting Shield, 1916 1904 A Morris Tube range was opened. 1905 A School Cadet Corps was formed.
Alleyn s teaching staff, July 1919 1911 The school curriculum included Drill, and retired sergeant-majors on the staff gave boys daily drill instruction. Boys were sent to the annual Public Secondary Schools Camp at Bisley, which was intended for schools without cadet corps. All boys wore the same uniform, and took part in military drill and rifle practice. In 1911 twenty three schools attended Camp and out of eight competitions Alleyn s came first in four, second in two, and fourth in two. 1914 It was following the start of the Great War that the School made a formal application to start an Officers Training Corps. This was rejected by the War Office, but in September the same year the Alleyn s Volunteer Training Corps (VTC) was founded affiliated to the Central association of VTCs. It was open to masters and fathers, and pupils over 15 years of age, and within half a term had 360 members. Members who had attended at least 40 drills were given a special lapel badge. Alleyn s teaching staff, c.1915
Cribb s House, 1920 1915 As the war progressed many left to join HM Forces and by February 1915 those remaining in this corps were either too old or too young for such training and it was disbanded. In September 1915, a recognised and uniformed Cadet Corps was formed. The Captain and Adjutant was one of the founder Housemasters CF Tyson. The Corps had begun. 1915 1918 Many staff already had commissions and were to join the war effort soon thereafter, including Captain Tyson and Captain E.C.Brown. The Commanding Officer, Captain Gregory carried on but eventually all his Officers and NCOs went on active service. By the end of the War, 264 former pupils had lost their lives, including J E Appleyard (Brown s) who was School Captain at the outbreak of War and was awarded the Military Cross. We have the record of only one staff member of Alleyn s being killed during in the War; he was Mr Judd who was on the domestic staff. Alleyn s cadets in front of the Old Pavilion, c.1927 Seen on left, standing, Corporal FM Goldner was (some 8 years later) to return to Alleyn s as a teacher. He served with distinction on the Mathematics staff for 33 years, until his unexpected death in service in 1965. For his last 24 years he was the Housemaster of Brading s
7,000 cadets including a contingent from Alleyn s from the Public Schools Officers Training Corps arrive at Tidworth, Wiltshire, for their Annual Summer Camp, August 1933 ALLEYN S SCHOOL 1922 The School Organ was installed in the Great Hall, to be the War Memorial to those former pupils killed in the First World War, and Colonel Kirby VC returned to the School to unveil the War Memorial Panels listing the names of the fallen. Frank Howard Kirby was one of the first pupils of Alleyn s School in 1882. In 1892 he enlisted in the Royal Engineers and, in 1899, was sent to South Africa at the start of the Boer War. On 5th October 1900 the citation in The London Gazette announced that Corporal Kirby had been awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry in the face of the enemy. He had a long career in the Royal Engineers, the Royal Flying Corps, and the Royal Air Force, from which he retired with the rank of Group Captain. He died in 1956. 1923 Officers Training Corps inaugurated, and affiliated to the 1st Surrey Rifles. Major H Gregory installed as Commanding Officer. 1924 A team competed for the Ashburton Shield at Bisley, and a Signal Platoon was formed. 1925 Orderly Room and Armoury built. The Corps set off on a Route March led by (from left) Capt. JA Taylor, R.S.M. AC Bate, and Lt. AS Jenkins, 1946 The School artillery battery, 1950s
Field Communications practice in front of the Old Pavilion, 1950s 1928 Captain Albert Spring installed as Commanding Officer. 1931 Rifle Range built. 1932 Major EC Eayrs installed as Commanding Officer. 1930s Drum and trumpet band formed. 1936 Major SR Hudson installed as Commanding Officer. 1937 The Corps had an active drum and trumpet band. 1939 On 2nd September most of Alleyn s School was evacuated to Kent. In the meantime, the South London Emergency Secondary School was set up at Alleyn s School: here the Junior Training Corps was set up under Captain MC Crewe and had enthusiastic enrolment. Medical Corps training, 1950s In action on the School Rifle Range, 1950s
Pulling together with Eric Randall, 1950s 1941 Part of the School was evacuated to Rossall, at Fleetwood in Lancashire, where a Home Guard Platoon was formed from masters and senior boys, under a Sergeant-Major from Rossall. Parades were held early in the morning before lessons commenced, and exercises took place at all hours. The RAF Flight was formed. 1944 On 2nd December the Home Guard at Rossall stood down. 1945 In March the Alleyn s contingent at Rossall returned to Dulwich. On Major Hudson becoming Headmaster, Major JA Taylor TD installed as Commanding Officer. By the end of the War, 124 former pupils had lost their lives. 1945-1950 A set of military band instruments acquired (according to rumour) from the Free Polish Army. When the First Surrey Rifles were disbanded their silver mace and bugles were presented to the School Corps. Lifting the garden roller! 1950s The Combined Cadet Force band, conducted by the Bandmaster AE Cave, 1959
The RAF Flight glider, 1969 1946-1947 War Memorial Fund set up, to be used to create the War Memorial Garden on the corner of Townley Road and Calton Avenue, and to add four more panels to the War Memorial under the organ loft. 1947 Memorial service for those who had died held in the Chapel on 29th March Eric Randall arrived at Alleyn s School as Regimental Sergeant- Major to the Junior Training Corps. 1948 In the Advent Term the Junior Training Corps and the Air Training Corps amalgamated into the Combined Cadet Force. 1949 Lt. Col. LAR Shackleton TD installed as Commanding Officer. The CCF band was reconstituted as a full-size military band, the services of a Bugle Master were secured and Alan Cave AOB was appointed as the Bandmaster. A competition was held to find a School march. The band was to play regularly throughout the 1950s and 1960s. Annual Inspection, 1962 A cadet pictured on the wing of a Provost Trainer, RAF Summer Camp, 1958
Officers parade on Remembrance Day. Second from left: Hodgkiss, Randall, Jones and Skelley ALLEYN S SCHOOL 1950 RE Section formed. 1951 Open air performance of Julius Caesar on Big Side, directed by Michael Croft, with the Army cadets on one side and the RAF cadets on the other all dressed as Roman soldiers. The crowd scenes were directed by Eric Randall. 1955 RA Troop formed. 1960 Major KA Spring TD installed as Commanding Officer. Bren gun tuition by Eric Randall, c.1962 1966 Lt. Col. J Logan installed as Commanding Officer. 1967 The CCF band leads the Pageant Procession for the Dulwich Millennium Celebrations, playing the School March, and afterwards playing all the music for the Pageant. The Alleyn s School CCF is awarded the team medal for the Nijmegen Marches and this is repeated in 1968 and 1969. The medals for 1967 and 1968 are housed in a magnificent cabinet made by Major TE Evans. Survey Unit formed.
Annual Inspection by the Duke of Edinburgh, 12 June 1969 1968 Major T E Evans installed as Commanding Officer. 1969 His Royal Highness Prince George of Denmark carried out the Annual Inspection. Sub-Aqua Unit formed. 1970 Royal Navy Section formed. 1972 On 23rd April the London Gazette announced the award of the MBE to Eric Randall for his services to the CCF and to Alleyn s School. The RAF Section was building a hovercraft. 1975 Lt. Col. AS Jenkins TD installed as Commanding Officer. 1978 The first lady officer, Second Lt. Pat Barden, was commissioned and in September the first girl cadets, 16 in number, elected to join the CCF. From the same month, joining the CCF became entirely voluntary. 1982 Commander T Hodgkiss installed as Commanding Officer, being the first and so far the only Naval Officer to hold the post. Lance Corporal Deborah Smith, pictured in Germany, 1979
Girl Cadet in action, 1980s 1983 The CCF Inspection to be held every two years, and to feature training rather than concentrating on the ceremonial parade. Fire destroyed the RAF hut and the glider, but the MOD promised to replace both. 1985 First parachute jump, the cadets having been trained by the Red Devils. Elizabeth Chandler was promoted to be the first female Senior Warrant Officer. 1990 Lt. Col. EMD Jones installed as Commanding Officer. 1991 The rifle range was closed and demolished, to make way for the new Junior School playground. 1993 Eric Randall retired after 46 years dedicated service to Alleyn s School, during which time over 6000 pupils had passed through the CCF. In July, This Is Your Life, Eric Randall took place in the Great Hall in the presence of over 300 people. A guard of honour was provided by officers from the three services, who had all been cadets under Eric. A bronze bust of Eric was placed in the entrance hall of the School, and in August he was gazetted Major in the London Gazette. Eric was succeeded by Sergeant Major Paul Lambert of the Devon and Dorset Regiment. The first female inspecting officer for the Annual Inspection was Group Captain C.R.Fowler, the CO of RAF Uxbridge. The CCF abopted a goat as its mascot. 1997. The goat, resplendent in a ceremonial coat made especially and matching the Goat Major s sash, appeared several times in Remembrance Day parades.
Alleyn s CCF formed up outside Buckingham Palace, before the Remembrance Sunday parade at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, 2006 ALLEYN S SCHOOL 1994 Sgt. Major Lambert inaugurated the Regimental Dinner. 1997 Major Emma Peters was the first Alleyn Old Girl to be the inspecting officer for the Annual Inspection. Four girls from James Allen s Girls School joined the Alleyn s School CCF. The CCF adopted a goat as its mascot. 2002 Lt. Col. Jones became the longest-serving Commanding Officer of the CCF. 2005 After 12 years distinguished service, Paul Lambert retired. He had succeeded Eric Randall as School Sergeant. His rank on retirement was Regimental Sergeant Major (Warrant Officer First Class), the highest non-commissioned officer rank, and he had been an outstanding School Staff Instructor, whose commitment and hard work was highly regarded by all who had worked with him. 2007 Col. KV Ellen installed as Commanding Officer. 2010 Alleyn s School CCF sustains all three service sections. It is one of the largest voluntary contingents in the country, numbering some 240 cadets and 12 commissioned officers. One Sergeant Staff Instructor and ten other adult members of staff assist. It is hoped that readers of these pages will have enjoyed learning something of the story behind the CCF at Alleyn s School. It can be no more than an introduction to the history of the Corps, but it will be used as the basis for an exhibition on Founder s Day this year on July 3rd. In addition to further photographs, there will be other interesting artefacts and items of memorabilia that have been collected over the past more than one hundred years into the School Archive. We look forward to seeing many former and present members of the CCF at that event and would welcome any further items or information that you can make available to us. Neil A French, Honorary Archivist. Acknowledgments This chronology and the most of the historical details have been extracted from Alleyn s: The Co- Educational School, written by Arthur R Chandler and published in 1998 by Gresham Books. The research into, and selection of material from, the Alleyn s School Archives and the provision of additional text was carried out by the Honorary Archivist Neil French (Cribb s 1954-61) and his Assistant Robert Holden (Spurgeon s 1956-62). The Hon Archivist would welcome any information from readers on the many unidentified or undated photographs featured in the booklet. Also, all the dates and the details are subject to revision or correction, and if you wish to correct any items, please feel free to get in touch. Design: Tom Keates-Miles / Mick Keates Design