Cadets remember college fallen of two world wars
A TRIO of teenagers from the Combined Cadet Force planted poppy crosses in memory of men who were not much older than themselves who lost their lives in the two world wars.
Each of the three represented the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force and placed a cross for each of the 158 Old Elizabethans who died – 110 in the First World War and 48 in the Second.
CCF commanding officer Lt-Commander Tim Slann said that Year 10 students had prepared the crosses as part of their recruit training, writing the names, ages and dates of death on them.
Max McCarthy, 15, James Kennedy, 15, and Oliver Coupe, 16, had the job of placing the crosses in the memorial garden at the top of Smith Street.
Lt-Commander Slann said this was a tradition that the CCF upheld every year a few days before the annual memorial service, which takes place tomorrow and which he will be leading this year.
All three of the students said it was important that their forebears were commemorated.
‘It’s good to remember the people who made this sacrifice,’ said Oliver, who is an RAF cadet.
The average age of those named on the crosses was 19-20, not much older than him: ‘It makes it all a bit more personal,’ he said.
‘I think they must have been very brave,’ said Navy cadet Max. ‘I’m sure anyone would find it difficult to do what they did.
Could he have done it himself? He said he was unsure, but probably ‘if the island’s way of life was in jeopardy’.
Army cadet James said thinking about these men fighting and sacrificing their lives at such a young age seemed unrealistic: ‘It’s amazing when you think about it,’ he said.
‘It’s important to remember how these guys were just like us.’
