No . 132 The Trusty Servant
War Cloister
Christopher Normand , Director of Win Coll Soc , writes :
Much will be written and said about War Cloister over the next three years , as we approach the centenary of its dedication in 1924 . Occasions to celebrate War Cloister or learn about its creation and those honoured on its walls are happening regularly .
One such occasion was on 9 th September , the day that General Sir Nick Carter was received Ad Portas . During a short ceremony , General Sir Nick and the head of the CCF laid wreaths together in memory of those Wykehamists who had died while serving their country .
In honour of Sir Nick ( who joined The Royal Green Jackets on leaving Winchester College ) and the regiment ( incorporated into The Rifles in 2007 ), with which the school has been long associated , the 110 names in War
CDS and Head of CCF lay wreaths
Cloister of those who had served in the Royal Green Jackets or one of its antecedent regiments were decorated with poppies .
The simple ceremony included a recitation of the inscription that runs around War Cloister and a reading taken from Field Marshall Lord Wavell ’ s speech during the rededication ceremony in 1948 .
MJ ( Monty ) Rendall ( HM , 1911-24 ) was the moving force behind the War Cloister project . He had taught at the College for 27 years before war broke out and would have known all but a handful of the Wykehamists that went to fight and die in the war . He composed the words of the inscription with great care , not only to leave a fitting epitaph for so many , but also so that the design of the words would exactly fit the architectural space allotted to them .
The Head of Win Coll CCF with The Head of the Armed Forces
‘ Thanks be to God for the service of these five hundred Wykehamists , who were found faithful unto death amid the manifold chances of the Great War .
In the day of battle they forgat not God , who created them to do His will , nor their country , the stronghold of freedom , nor their school , the mother of godliness and discipline .
Strong in this threefold faith they went forth from home and kindred to the battle-fields of the world , and treading the path of duty and sacrifice , laid down their lives for mankind .
Thou therefore , for whom they died , seek not thine own , but serve as they served , and in peace or in war bear thyself ever as Christ ’ s soldier , gentle in all things , valiant in action , steadfast in adversity .’
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