The College community came together this week in a series of assemblies, performances, readings and services to remember those who died in service to their country. The week culminated in a service of remembrance on Friday morning for Lower School and Middle Fourth pupils, and an Armistice Day service on Saturday for those in the senior years.
Throughout the week, 27 CCF Cadets volunteered to create an immersive poetry performance piece with the College Archivist Rebecca Worthy and Contingent Commander Major Ben MacDowel.
The incredibly moving performance saw Cadets recreate a photograph of the 1915 Epsom College Officer Training Corp (now CCF), whilst carrying a poppy cross bearing the name of one of the 334 Old Epsomians lost in conflict.
Eight cadets read out a stanza each from a poem that was written by Old Epsomian Captain Rashell Montague Davison (Forest House). He wrote the poem while on active duty in France in 1918, and it was subsequently printed in The Epsomian the same year (below).
In the same year that he wrote the poem, Captain Davison received a severe injury through the forehead, cheek and legs causing him to become partially paralysed and lose his voice. He was repatriated back to London where he was operated on, but sadly died of pneumonia and post-operative cerebral meningitis due to complications in theatre.
Throughout the reading, Cadets placed their crosses at the front of the stage and acknowledged their OE. The Epsom College AV team provided outstanding special effects to accompany the occasion, which ended with the many faces of the lost OEs projected amongst falling poppies. The whole visual spectacle engulfed Big School. It was a reflective and measured performance that gave the audience time to remember their own loved ones.
In addition, the poem readers recited the poem in the Third, Lower Fourth and Middle Fourth Remembrance Service on Friday 10 November. Canon Haviland gave a moving tribute to Captain Davison, telling the congregation about his life and providing some moving context to just one of our lost OEs.
Following the formal service, pupils made their way to the memorial garden and placed crosses at the foot of the war memorial. All of this week’s activity has been a poignant tribute to those who have served their country. We will remember them.
