None Have Done Better

Book excerpt: Many schools may have done as well but none have done better ~ Percy Shaw Jeffrey Echoing the words of Percy Shaw Jeffrey, the headmaster of Colchester Royal Grammar School at the start of the First World War, this book tells the story of the global conflict through the lives of the former pupils and teachers who are commemorated on the school's war memorial. It retraces their early days in the classroom and on the playing field and their actions during some of the major events and battles of the First World War, from Ypres and the Somme to Palestine and Egypt, as well as at sea and in the air. Published to coincide with the centenary of the armistice, this collection of biographies provides a fascinating and timely account of the experiences of a generation of Old Colcestrians whose legacy of service and courage is unmatched. Additional essays examine the historical context and other remembrance events by the school community, including visits to the graves and memorials of the fallen. This record of their lives ensures that their ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.