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War
Memorials Elsewhere, - Bradford Grammar School |
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Bradford Grammar School's War Memorial
Select the above image for a larger sized image which opens in a new window
Photo : Nicholas Hooper of the Imperial War Museum's War
Memorial Register
Bradford Grammar School is a co-educational, independent school in Frizinghall, Bradford. The origins of the school go back to the 16th Century, but the school was the first Grammar School in England to be reorganised under the Forster Act of 1869. In the twentieth century it became one of the country's leading direct grant schools. In 1949 the school moved to its present site at Frizinghall. The School became independent in 1975 and fully co-educational in 1999.
A total of 1,150 Old Boys of the School served in different
arms of the Forces during the First World War.The school’s War Memorial
engraved with the names of 215 old scholars who lost their lives was presented
by the Old Boys in 1920 at a cost of £600.
The War Memorial is a wall-mounted stone memorial. The central column bears
names of fallen in the First World War in three columns. This is surmounted
by a metal shelf and a metal relief of school emblem topped with gilt painted
crown. Further tablets at either side bear names of the fallen in the Second
World War in incised black lettering.
3 Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment are commemorated on the
War Memorial.
To view a section of the memorial on which their names appear, select
here for an image which opens in a new window.
2nd Lieutenant Eric William Brodrick. 5th Battalion
the Yorkshire Regiment. Son of the late Rev. F. E. and Mrs. Brodrick, of Farnley
Rectory, near Leeds; husband of Margaret Lucie Brodrick, of East Keswick,
Leeds. Died 23 July 1916. Aged 35.
Buried LARCH WOOD (RAILWAY CUTTING) CEMETERY.
The following biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-
"Eric Brodrick was born at Farnley near Leeds on April 24th 1881 and
was educated at St Georges School, Roundhay and Bradford Grammar School.
He went to the Phillipines in 1902 where he worked as a Province Agent and
was home on leave when war broke out. He joined the Royal Fusiliers Public
Schools Battalion and then transferred to the Inns of Court Officer Training
Corps.
He was commissioned in March of 1915 and married Miss Lucie Moon at East Keswick
near Leeds on April 17th 1915. Eric Brodrick joined the 5th Battalion of the
Yorkshires later in 1915.
The Spring of 1916 was spent by the battalion at various locations around
the Ypres Salient including actions at the Bluff and Hill 60. In May they
were at Eecke north west of Bailleul where 2nd Lt Brodrick and the battalion
were inspected by General Sir Hubert Plumer, CO of the 2nd army.
They then moved back into the salient taking part in a large attack against
an enemy mine crater on July 10th. It was just after this that Eric Brodrick
was wounded and captured during a night patrol near Kemmel.
He died from his wounds in enemy hands around 22/23rd of July 1916 at the
age of 35. Eric Brodrick was buried by the enemy in one of their battlefield
cemeteries, but today his grave lies in Larch Wood Cemetery at Zillebeke to
the south east of Ypres, his body being one of many that were brought in during
clearances after the war.
Eric William Brodrick was the son of the late Reverend F E Brodrick and his
wife Jane of Farnley Rectory near Leeds and the husband of Margaret Lucie
Brodrick of East Keswick, Leeds.
His colonel later wrote to his parents,
“The whole battalion, officers and men sorrow with you. We all loved
your son and his men would have done anything for him”.
Eric Brodrick’s daughter Erica was born after his death in September
1916."
Captain Claud Giffard Jeffery.2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
Husband of Nellie Jeffery, of Coldingham, Winchfield, Hants. Killed 24 October
1914. Aged 34.
Buried in YPRES TWN CEMETERY.
Thefollowing biographical data is found in "Officers of the Green Howards
1688-1931" by M L Ferrar;-
" Born at Manningham, Bradford, 13th April, 1880, son of Herbert J. Jeffery,
of Bradford. Husband of Nellie Jeffery, of Coldingham, Winchfield, Hants.
2nd Lieut., 14th September, 1901; Lieut., 12th May 1904; Capt., 25th August,
1909 ; Adjt., 1st March, 1910—12th April 1912; Egytian Army, 12th April,
1912—12th April, 1914.
Served with the Volunteer Company in the Boer War, 1900-02, and took part
in the march from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, including the actions at Brandfort,
Vet and Zand Rivers, Kroonstadt and Johannesburg. Also in the advance eastwards
and actions at Diamond Hill and Belfast (Queen's medal and 5 clasps. King's
medal and 2 clasps). Proceeded to Belgium with 2nd Battn. in October, 1914.
Whilst leading a party of volunteers to repel an attack by a large force of
the enemy near Becelaire, he was wounded in the groin, on the 22nd October
(mentioned in despatches).
Died in hospital, near Ypres, 24th October, 1914.
An officer who was with him in hospital said that Captain Jeffery was one
of the most gallant men he ever met, popular with all officers and beloved
by his men. When men from the regiment were brought in wounded to the hospital
their first question was " How is Captain Jeffery ? ""
A biography of Captain Jeffery can be found in De
Ruvigny's Roll of Honour.
2nd Lieutenant William Ellis Smart. 3rd Battalion Yorkshire Regiment,
attached 7th Battalion West Yorks Regt. Son of John Edward and Clara Smart,
of The Bungalow, Ingleton, Yorks, late of Bradford. Born at Peterborough.
Killed 11 October 1918. Aged 23.
Buried WELLINGTON CEMETERY, RIEUX-EN-CAMBRESIS.
The following biographical information is taken from Roberts Coulson's Biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;
"William Smart was born in Peterborough in 1895 and entered St Catherines
College at Cambridge in 1913.
His initial war service was as a private soldier with Kings Royal Rifle Corps
before being commissioned into the 3rd Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment,
which was home based providing coastal defence around the Tees Bay and providing
drafts for the battalions serving overseas.
2nd Lt William Ellis Smart was attached to the 7th Battalion of the West Yorkshire
Regiment and was serving with them during the “Pursuit to the Selle”
when he was killed in action on October 11th 1918 aged 23."
Private Herbert Whitehead. 27585. 8th Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment.
Son of W. and H. Whitefield, of Pitsford Hill, Wiveliscombe; husband of Ellen
Whitefield, of Pitsford Hill. Killed 20 September 1916. Aged 23.
Born Windhill (Yorks), Enlisted Bradford, Resided Saltaire.
Buried SERRE ROAD CEMETERY No.2.
(Commemorated on the Rolls of Honour for Nab Wood, Shipley, Windhill Parish
Church, & Bradford Grammar School.)
Bradford
Grammar School on its current site at Frizinghall
Photo © Copyright David
Spencer and licensed for reuse under this Creative
Commons Licence.
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