The Old Bordenian Association

This article was featured in the 2009 Maroon.  It is our intention to gradually add content from past Maroons onto the site for easier searching and reference; we can also add colour pictures where available, which wasn’t always possible in the Maroon due to cost. 

Despite diligent research over many years, it is remarkable how many Old Bordenians there were who perished in the 1939-45 War in the service of this Country and yet whose sacrifices remained unrecorded by the School or the Association. As these omissions came to light, their names were added to the old Memorial Honours Board in the main vestibule of the School – until there was no room left for further additions.

Last year, therefore, the Committee decided to put this right, and commissioned a new Honours Board which has now been installed. It contains 42 names in alphabetical order, except for the last one, N.A. Monday, whose death during the War was unknown to us when the new Board was prepared.

 At the same time, it was decided to commission another new Honours Board commemorating those who fell in the 1914-1918 War, and the two Boards are adjacent to each other in the vestibule. We have the names of only five Old Bordenians who are known to have been killed in First World War – which in some ways is remarkable when you reflect on the appalling number of casualties in France, Flanders and elsewhere. However, the School roll was much smaller in those days, and of course at this distance in time we are less certain that our records are complete. If you know of any names not recorded on either Honours Board, please contact the Secretary.

Each year, the Roll of Honour is read out at a simple Service of Remembrance attended by representatives of the Association, the staff and the pupils. It brings home the extent of the sacrifices made by Old Bordenians – mostly young men who in the normal course of events could have looked forward to years of fulfilment like most of their more fortunate contemporaries. [Editor's note: The annual Service of Remembrance will be held on 19 September 2009 this year.  A short article of the Service will be posted.]