Durham Johnston Comprehensive School - Durham Johnston's War Memorial 1921-2011

Durham Johnston's War Memorial 1921-2011

Durham Johnston in 2011 raised funds to re-site and rededicate the school war memorial, which names 107 men. The majority were members of the Durham Light Infantry, although they served in both wars and in a variety of services and regiments. The memorial was first suggested in a speech by Mr Whalley, the school’s Headmaster, in 1920. He referred to the death of Captain C.N. Crawshaw, a teacher at the school who had volunteered when the war broke out in 1914. Mr Whalley proposed a memorial in honour of the 34 former students and one teacher who had died during the Great War. A meeting was held on Wednesday 24 March 1920 for former and current students and £160 was raised towards the cost of the memorial. The original panels of the war memorial were unveiled at 6 p.m. on Saturday 22nd 1921 by the Bishop of Durham. It was located on the stage of the school, when the school was located in South Street. It acted as a memorial for the 35 ex-Johnstonians who had died during the Great War. In addition to the former students, one member of staff, Mr Crawshaw, had died in action. Two teachers returned to the school after the war, Mr Hutchinson and Mr Dent, and a third, Mr Cousins, returned, but retired, due to war related stress, in 1921.

The unveiling of the memorial was recorded by the Durham Advertiser:

The memorial has been erected by subscriptions from parents, staff past and present and pupils of the school. It consists of a mural panelling in light oak, of classic design, together with a memorial desk and chairs of a similar character. On the memorial desk is a brass inscription plate on which is engraved: ‘A tribute from the boys of 1918-1920 to the Johnstonians who served and fell in the war, 1914-1918.' The design and erection of the memorial have been ably carried out by the North of England School Furnishing Company. In addition to the brass inscription plate there is an engraving which states 'Nothing is here for tears, nothing but fair and well, and what may quiet us in a death so noble.' The motto for the memorial is taken from Milton’s Samson Agonistes. The memorial has been erected in the school assembly hall, and will daily remind the boys of the patriotism and self sacrifices of Johnstonians during the dark days of the war.

A large number of former Johnstonians were involved in World War Two with a significant number losing their lives. Two new panels were commissioned for the war memorial and money was, again, raised from contributions. The two panels were dedicated in June 1948 with a ceremony, performed by the Reverend R.F. Morgan – a former student at the school – at St Margaret’s Church. A significant amount of money was raised from subscriptions. After the new panels had been paid for the residue of the money was used for a War Memorial prize, which was awarded annually to a high achieving student at the school.

A tradition was established after 1948 that fresh flowers would always be put next to the memorial during term time and that a British Legion wreath of Flanders poppies would be placed next to the memorial on Remembrance Day.

In July 1954 the school moved from its South Street site to new buildings in Crossgate Moor. The memorial was removed in July 1954 and placed upon the left wall in the new school hall. It remained in place until the spring term of 2009, when it was removed and stored in preparation to be rededicated in the new Durham Johnston school hall. it was resintalled in the third building and dedicated in March 2011 in recognition of the 90th anniversary of Johnston, with students and members of the local community raising the money for the initial memorial. A new plaque has been installed with a quotation from the Proverbs to acknowledge money raised by our current students. Local companies, particularly Harrison and Harrison Organ Builders, helped to support this project.

Notable on the war memorial is Captain Isidore Newman, an old boy of the school and linguist who was attached to the SOE during the second world war. He was eventually captured and muredered at Mauthausen Concentration Camp. Because of this, the rededication of the memorial in 2011 was attended by representatives of AJEX, the Association of Jewish Ex-Servicemen and the Rabbi to the Army performed a blessing in the school, as well as the local Anglican Vicar.