Like soldiers the world over They were very young
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Transcript of Like soldiers the world over They were very young
Beginning in 1914 and lasting until the fall of 1918,
Malvern Collegiate's
children, not yet old enough to vote
or even legally drink, volunteered
to enter the maelstrom of what
would be the greatest and most catastrophic war in
this country's history
Like soldiers the world over
They were very youngThey laughed and they criedThey fought and they diedNot for king, queen or flag
But for each other
For they were:
Poem’s Author: A Grade 10 Malvern Student
Students of MALVERN AVENUE COLLEGIATE
fought and died as members of the famed CANADIAN CORPS, the only army in
the Great War never to lose a single battle it fought.
From Vimy Ridge which marked the first conclusive offensive allied victory of the war, to The Hundred
Days which ended it, Malvern students fought and
died not as British or Empire troops, but for the first time in our history as
Canadians.
A total of 25 Malvern students lost their lives overseas during
the Great War
In Holland Canadian soldiers are known as
The Liberators
Dutch Children as part of the school program adopt the graves of
Canadian soldiers
Visiting veterans are feted like rock stars
The sacrifices of this country are not forgotten
In Canada, many kids cannot even explain when the wars
were fought
The staff students and parentshave started to change that
A program was started to provide a human face to
those who defend and pay the ultimate sacrifice for our
freedoms
Who were the Boys of Malvern?
Joseph Taylor
A student at Malvern Collegiate
Joseph lived at 70 Silver Birch
He enlisted at 15 (a grade 10 student)
Joseph died January 31, 1917 as part of the daily wastage leading up to the Canadian assault on Vimy Ridge
He lies buried in France
He is not forgotten
Joseph is on the far left of the middle row
Joseph Taylor
Joseph would win no medals for bravery
He would do nothing more then be in the wrong place at the wrong time and pay heavily for it
He was the teenaged son of a family who loved him dearly
Following his death, a telegram delivery boy would arrive at the door bringing news that would shatter his family and forever change their lives
His voice in the halls of Malvern would be forever lost
The Great War and all its savagery found Malvern
22 other Malvern students like Joseph lie buried or missing
in Europe
Cecil Pugh Annis
William Kennedy Commins D.S.O. M.C.
Gordon Parsons Davidson
John Patrick Davidson
Gordon Ezra Duke
Martin James Flood
Cecil John French M.C.
Arthur Patrick Gorman
William Albert Heal
William John Hird
Walter James Hutchinson
Wilfred John Jones
Malvern Students Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice
Roy Wesley Kerr
Charles Simpson Lennox
Charles William Mabbott
Harvey George Mansfield
Charles Percy May
Robert Fountain MacLuckie
Arthur Jackson Smith Sisley
Donovan Laurier Sisley
Harold Wilson Spence M.M.
Joseph Rollit Taylor
John Archibald Trebilcock M.C.
Alsey Joseph Trebilcock
Murray Watson
On May 18, 1922 after a community fundraising
effort, a memorial cenotaph was constructed
and dedicated to the memory of the fallen
Malvern students
The cenotaph was constructed by Emmanuel
Hahn consisting of a marble figure on a
limestone base
On its sides are embossed the names of all 24
Malvern students who paid the supreme sacrifice and
lie buried overseas
Emmanuel Hahn is famous as the designer of the Bluenose on the dime, Caribou on the quarter and the Adam Beck memorial on University Avenue
in Toronto
The figure on the monument is none other than Toronto’s young world
champion rower Ned Hanlan
It is also believed to be the first statue of Ned Hanlan ever done dating the one at Hanlan’s point by four years
Several years ago the cenotaph was vandalized requiring part of the right arm be removed. The sword was broken off and stolen
Years of exposure to the weather have taken their toll on the exposed arm
The sad truth is that with the current school funding formula neither the Toronto and District School Board or Malvern Collegiate posses the funds to repair the cenotaph
The Onward Malvern Foundation, Centre 55 and The Malvern School Council believes that we cannot permit the memory of the sacrifices of these children to be lost
The Boys Of Malvern Project Goals
• Formally integrate the memory and accomplishments of theMalvern students into the school’s History curriculum
• Bring a human face to the former students. They are morethan names on limestone
• Repair the statue as close as technically possible to thecondition it was in when it was dedicated
• Properly secure and protect the monument against futurevandalism
• Formally rededicate the monument upon restoration with afull military dedication
To ensure the sacrifices of these students are remembered we have developed a project with the following goals:
• Students understand that the names on the monument are real people who attended this school
• Every student learn about the individual sacrifices of at least one of the soldiers whose names appear on the monument
• Unless the students learn of the sacrifice, the cenotaph becomes a gravestone rather than a monument
Formally integrate the memory and accomplishments of the Malvern students into the school’s History curriculum.
Repair the statue as close as technically possible to the condition it
was in when it was dedicated.
Neglect and the elements have taken a toll
We have had the monument examined by experts
Full restoration is achievable though expensive
A project has been commissioned to complete it
Integrate the monument and the memory of the fallen students formally into the
school curriculum
Properly restore the monument
Provide security to insure it is never again vandalized
Formally rededicate the memorial
$75,000 is needed to:
We need your help
For your contribution we can provide :
An income tax receipt
For corporate contributors, your logo as a sponsor on the dedication program and the accompanying video and website for the monument
An engraved thank you on the wall of honour at the school in memory of your donation for donations in excess of $100
The gratitude of the students, parents of Malvern Collegiate and the families of the fallen
Unfortunately nothing can be placed on the monument itself
Why are we doing this?
The answer is in the face of Charles Mabbot of 288 Main Street and 23 other local kids who paid a dear
price
They were real people with families who dearly loved them
A Boy of Malvern
The Toronto Star obituary on the death of Charles Mabbott 19 days before the war’s armistice.
He was more than just Private Mabbott. He was also a member of the Malvern Collegiate Rugby team.
He willingly left grade 11 at age 17 to go off to fight in the greatest war this country has known
Thank You