Letters

Pauline tattoos

Dear Jeremy, I read Paul Cartledge’s explanation in Atrium of Adam Peaty’s tattoos with interest and thought I would share an image of Sergeant Sayers who instructed the School Gymnastics Team in the early 20th century. He is always referred to as Sergeant Sayers and I still have not been able to find out his first name. The only reference to him, other than as the gymnastics instructor, is that during the First World War he was with the 10th Middlesex Regiment, at Sittingbourne, as a drill instructor.

On his arms he has tattoos of a woman standing in front of a fence, a man wearing what looks like a cowboy hat and neckerchief and some text that starts with “I LOVE…” With very best wishes,

Ginny Dawe-Woodings (Former OPC Archivist)

1911 Gymnastics Team

a Field Marshal and his Catering Sergeant

Dear Jeremy, Monty's eyes and ears in North West Europe were liaison officers who travelled by jeep across the front and reported back to his caravan in the evening. The young Captain Howarth – later High Master of St Paul's (1962-73) – was one of these officers.

As a result of a family connection with Brian Jones (1961-66), I have given, in Tom Howarth’s memory, to the Kayton Library signed copies of Monty's “Eighth Army: El Alamein to the River Sangro” and “Twenty First Army Group: Normandy to the Baltic.” These were presented at the end of the war in Berlin, to his catering chief Sgt CQMS Castle who may well have supervised the modest alcohol-free evening repasts at the caravan. The donation included Sgt Castle’s war medals and his copy of the programme for presentation of the Freedom of Chiswick to the Field Marshal. This ceremony took place on Saturday July 28th, 1945.

I was very fortunate to be taught by Tom Howarth in his time as Second Master at Winchester. These books, signed by Monty, were “presented in memory of Tom Howarth – gripping teacher of French History from the Jacobins to the return of De Gaulle in 1958: 169 years with 11 changes of regime and 5 invasions. Remembered for his cool wit and pastoral care.”

It was a pleasure to be able to meet the School Librarian, Hilary Cummings, and the Archivist, Ginny Dawe-Woodings, in the Montgomery Room at St Paul’s and see other Monty memorabilia in the School’s archives.

Nick Bosanquet, (Winchester College 1954-59)

unbeatable record

Dear Jeremy, I so enjoyed Tim Razzall’s description of Stuart Feldman’s bowling in the latest Atrium.

I thought I would add some meat to the bone. Stuart first played for the Old Pauline Cricket Club in 1934 as a schoolboy. In 1935 he topped the School’s bowling averages and was reported as “the biggest thorn in the flesh of opposing batsmen, one wishes all school bowlers would study batsmen’s weaknesses in the same way.”

After 1948, he started playing again for the OPCC bagging 19 wickets at 13 runs a wicket including 6-34 against the School followed by 7-36 in the same fixture in 1949. In 1956 he took 136 wickets for OPCC at an average of 7.9 followed by 70 at 12 in 1957 and his remarkable performances carried through until 1968 when he hung up his boots with an amazing and probably unbeatable record of: 290 matches, 4,023 overs, 675 maidens, 12,292 runs, wickets 1,035, balls/wicket 23.3, average 11.9. With very best wishes,

Ray Burton (1952-58)

a gallant enemy

Dear Jeremy, Apropos the piece in Atrium ‘Pauline Penny-Farthing’, I have found a mention in The Pauline No 234 of November 1917 of ‘A German Pauline’ which quoted from the Canadian Gazette.

Pauline Notes: A German Pauline: “All Germans are not Huns. Note the story of a British Columbian sergeant which we publish this week. After recent Lens fighting there was an armistice between the enemy and ourselves upon part of the Canadian line for the burial of the dead, and the men of one Canadian battalion at least declare that the Germans ‘behaved like perfect gentlemen throughout’. The German officer in charge had, it seems been educated at St Paul's School, London – that accounts for much. We should like to know the name of the gallant enemy, but it is better for him to remain unknown. The story emphasises the criminality of those in high places who do their best to make such incidents impossible”.

I believe the officer is Charles Ernst von Koppelow (1887-92), the champion cyclist. After leaving St Paul's von Koppelow went to Germany but kept in touch with his alma mater as his Engagement Announcement appeared in the Pauline May 1906. It shows that he was by then a Lieutenant in Grand Duke of Mecklenburg 89th Grenadier Regiment. von KOPPELOW – Meine Verlobung mit Fraulein Helene von Blucher, Tochter des Herrn Gch. Ministerialrats von Blucher und seiner Frau Gemahlin, geb. von Langen zeige ich hierdurch ergebenst an. Schwerin, den 9 Februar, 1906. von Koppelow, Oberleutnant im Grossherzgl. Meckelenburgiscgischen Grenadier Regiment Nr 89. Best regards,

John Dunkin (1964-69)

his master’s voice

Dear Jeremy, I read the profile of Joel Sandelson in Atrium with great interest.

I should explain that I’m currently a Governor of the School and I was the Master of Clare College, Cambridge between 2014 and 2021 where, by good chance, Joel was an undergraduate music student.

When I was inducted as the new Master in the Clare Chapel, Joel played the Max Bruch composition of Kol Nidrei on his cello. Some of your readers will be familiar with this dramatic and moving piece which marks the commencement of the Day of Atonement service in the Jewish religion. For me this was a most memorable event and performance.

I should add a fact that is not recorded in your profile: Joel achieved a starred first 3 years running when at Clare – a remarkable and very impressive achievement. He will go far. Yours etc.,

Tony Grabiner

other people’s discrepancies

Dear Jeremy, In David Herman's (1973-75) fascinating article Refugees at St Paul’s I was interested to see Sefton Delmer (1917-23) described as a “famous journalist”. Readers of Nicholas Rankin’s Churchill’s Wizards will know that Delmer played a substantial role in WW2 deception campaigns, being largely responsible for the “black radio” transmissions to Germany and for input into other ploys. Rankin suggests that the experience of continual deception left its mark on Delmer.

In a related field, Leo Marks (1934-37) writes in a footnote to Between Silk and Cyanide – his enthralling inside story of the Special Operations Executive – that “Old Paulines (of whom General Montgomery was one) could usually be relied upon to point out other people’s discrepancies”. Perhaps some things don't change... Best wishes,

Owen Toller (Mathematics Department 1977–88 and 2006-19)

carry a large stick in Greece

Dear Jeremy, My interest was piqued by John Adair’s (1947-52) letter.

I am sure that he is correct that each of the members of the Upper History 8th have similar but differing memories of Philip Whitting (History Department 1929-63). I think that he was able to control our class by treating us more like university students than schoolboys.

We should not forget that he had extensive interests outside the school being a strong pillar of the local history association to which we were periodically invited and a numismatist with a wide reputation – his collection included some unique Byzantine gold coins which I believe he gave to Birmingham University.

As for the mythology, I had heard that when an incendiary bomb rolled into a shop, he picked it up and took it to some open ground where presumably it exploded harmlessly. Next, I had understood that he was a bomber navigator not a pilot and this enabled him to plot routes which took him over various historic sites which he had wanted to see from the air. So, John may well be right.

My own recollections include his advice given during his illustrated lectures on Byzantine art always to carry a large stick when walking in Greece to protect oneself against the fiercesome shepherd dogs and to sit on the ground when approached by such a dog; both pieces of advice I used and found worked when I was walking in the Peloponnese and Joanina/Metsovon areas. Kind regards,

Michael Offer (1956-61)

changing the guard

Dear Jeremy, I am prompted by Kenneth Baker’s reminiscences (Atrium Spring/Summer 2022) and the splendid photograph, to recall my own experience of the School Cadet Force.

When the School returned to Hammersmith in late 1945, the JTC as it was, then became very active, with access to facilities not available at Easthampstead. One important support we lacked was experienced drill personnel. This was soon remedied with the arrival of serving NCOs from the Brigade of Guards at Wellington Barracks. They were Welsh Guards.

We paraded on the tarmac behind the School building, beneath the Board Room window, which the High Master may well have opened in fine weather. Regrettably, while giving us full and comprehensive training the Welsh guardsman used a variety of the most obscene adjectives. Presumably someone in authority contacted the Barracks and after one more visit the Welsh Guards were replaced by the Scots Guards.

They came, together with a piper which was great, but unfortunately, they proved to be incomprehensible. Imagine a tall sergeant, his face about an inch from yours and he shouts all in mouthful “wassthamottaronthahaatbaarge”, in a rich Glaswegian accent. What he was actually saying was “What is the motto on your cap badge?” The cadets were unanimous in this case and again there was a change in instructors.

Third time lucky we were favoured with the Coldstream Guards. I can safely say that there was joy and appreciation all round. I believe we were eventually formally attached to the Coldstreamers for training purposes. Stand at Ease and best wishes,

Jeffery Shaw (1944-48)

St Paul’s School Shooting Club

Dear Jeremy, At the Earliest Vintage Lunch held in March there was a handout celebrating 150 years of alumni engagement with the School, and it contained a couple of dates which were significant to me as they relate to the only activity that I was any good at during my time at St Paul’s.

The first is the unveiling of the South African War Memorial in 1906 by Lord Roberts and the second was the formation of the School Shooting Club in 1907. Lord Roberts was so appalled by the standard of marksmanship in the British forces when compared to the South Africans during the South African War. He took it upon himself to promote the formation of miniature (.22) rifle clubs around the country as an attempt to improve marksmanship standards, and such clubs could be found in most municipalities, schools and large companies. I believe there may still be a London Transport shooting range in Baker Street Station.

The St Paul’s School Shooting Club was an adjunct of the CCF and I did well enough while shooting the Empire Test in the school range in the West Kensington building to be invited to join. I then represented the School in the Ashburton Shield at Bisley in 1956. For me, very enjoyable times. I carried on shooting after I left school and have since represented my local club, my county and my country in various shooting disciplines. Sincerely

Lindsay Jamieson (1953-56)