A FORMER deputy headmaster from Bournemouth School has compiled a book of former students and teachers at the school who served in the First World War.

William Pyke, a teacher at the school for 27 years, wanted to tell the story of the British Army on the Western Front in Belgium and France, 1914-18, integrating into the narrative the experiences of those members of Bournemouth School

After eighteen years of research using school records, files held in the National Archives, and online archives from various Commonwealth countries, William helped to uncover former students and teachers from Bournemouth school’s involvement in the war – from August 1914 to the Armistice of 1918 and the occupation of Germany in 1919.

He said: “When I was a teacher at Bournemouth School, we commemorated every year the former students from the school who served their countries.

“With this book, I wanted to honour those who not only lost their lives, but also the ones who survived the war and lived to tell the tale.

“During my research I found that there were people who were involved who were not on the local memorials, so this book is to help remember them as well.”

William identified 1,125 members of the school to investigate, and 674 members of the school who served not only on the Western Front. Over one hundred of them were killed, and many more wounded.

Although the school was only founded in 1901, as the author reveals, Bournemouth School members were involved in every major battle fought by the British Army on the Western Front. Many were found to be involved in all of the many technological developments of the war, including the first use of poison gas, flamethrowers and tanks.

William said: “I always wanted to pay tribute to these young men, who gave so much of themselves, and to allow others interested to find out about them – maybe members of their families or just interested. School Remembrance ceremonies reinforced that.

“That was another reason why I spent so many years taking school groups to see where they fought and died.

“I have materials on those who served in India, at Gallipoli, in the Middle east, in the Navy, and so on, but the book was too long as it is.”

The book is published by Croft House in conjunction with Writersworld, with paperback and hardback versions available as well as a Kindle edition.