We are grateful to Brian Roote (1944-1949) for his continuing work, electronically cataloguing the Boys' School 'Rolls of Honour' covering both World Wars.

A Roll of Honour for WW1 was first published in a memorial edition of The Croydonian magazine in the Autumn of 1920 at the dedication of the original memorial tablet. In those early days of records and the birth of the CWGC some names were missed and unavoidable mistakes were made.

A similar situation arose on the Roll for WW2 which was celebrated at a Service of Remembrance on Sunday 30 June 1946 at Croydon Parish Church. At the time some boys were classified as 'missing in action' but with the new CWGC experience most have been completed in respect of circumstances of death which are now known.

Perhaps it might be helpful to any researchers to note that the CWGC launched a project to photograph every war grave (what a task) This is now prgressing apace and any photograph of a grave can be downloaded for a nominal sum (currently £3.50) The site is at www.twgpp.org and is easy to search.

Brian comments:
"I hope that future generations will read these names with a sense of pride. These were ordinary people called upon to do extraordinary things and passed the test with courage, dignity and honour.

SEMPER RECORDEMUR"

"I would like to place on record my thanks to the following for their invaluable help":-

- Chris Bennett, archivist Croydon Local Studies Library.
- Marie Pickering for proof reading and inserting and enhancing photographs.
- Croydon Cemetery Office for help in finding grave plots.
- Some members of the boy's families who gave their unstinting assistance.

- Sources of data:
- CWGC data base
- Books - 1: Croydon and the Great War 2: Croydon inWW2
- School records in the library archives.
- Photographs in file in Croydon Library.

You may download the databases by clicking on the links below:

World War I Last updated: 2 March 2011 Excel format 2.6Mb

World War II Last updated: 5 March 2011 Excel format 3.2Mb

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