GOOD RECORDS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 248, 1 August 1941, Page 4

GOOD RECORDS.

OLD BOYS IN THE FORCES. ASHBURTON SECONDARY SCHOOLS. / Old boys from the Ashburton High School and Technical High School are not shirking their duty to King and country, for inquiries made this morning show that both schools have at least 100 old pupils overseas in one or other of the fighting services. Both the Headmaster of the High School (Mr E. A. Cockroft) and the Principal of the Technical School (Mr W. Crawford) have experienced great difficulty in compiling accurate lists and it is possible that many more pupils of the schools are playing their part, unknown to the two heads. The High School has about 100 pupils serving in the overseas forces, according to the Headmaster. The addresses of about 75 of these aro known and at four to six-weekly intervals Mr Cockiroft writes to these, keeping them in touch with their old school. A number of replies have been received and in them many interesting tales have been related. One letter deals with a voyage across the Atlantic in an armed merchantmen about the time the Bismarck was on the prowl and tho Hood was seen lying in wait just shortly before her tragic end. The local man also had a short visit to Iceland. As far as can be ascertained tho Technical School has 123 old boys overseas. The Principal stated to-day that 73 were in the Army, *l2 in the Air Force, and eight in the Navy or Fleet Air Arm. It was possible that there was a fairly large number of others also serving. It may also be mentioned that a number of these- old pupils have been either posted as killed, wounded or missing