The Association marks the centenary of the School's only Victoria Cross holder.
Posted on Mon 07 August 2000
Some time ago, former President Brian Gittins suggested that the Association should commemorate Sgt Tom Lawrence, the School's only recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC).
On 7th August 2000, the 100th Anniversary of the action for which the award was made, current President Tony Bishop laid a laurel wreath near the Honours Board that still hangs in the old School hall at Woodfield, now the town's Register Office.
The Victoria Cross was awarded to Tom Lawrence for his having rescued a Pte Hayman after the latter's horse was shot and the man thrown from it during an incident close to Vredefort, south east of Johannesburg. More details of the incident are described in the excerpts from the 2000 edition of The Old Carolian Magazine elsewhere on this website.
It is no coincidence that Ruth Butler and Old Carolian Don Gilbert published their book (or 'booklet', to which it is referred in its introduction), For Valour: Kidderminster's Four V.C.s during the very same month.
The work contains much more information again about Sgt Lawrence and the action that led to his being decorated. Although his honour was conferred in the Second Boer War, the other three of the four mentioned in the title were conferred in the First World War. Consequently, the authors have chosen to include an account of the town of Kidderminster in the years 1880 to 1920, with street maps and photographs of the era, and background information on the VC itself.
The other three VC-holders (Eustace Jotham, Edward Baxter and Frank Young) had no connection with the School, but their exploits, too, make the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Sadly, two of the three were killed in the action for which their awards were made.
Two minor criticisms of the publication would perhaps not be out of place. First, the cover price of £3.95 might put off a lot of potential purchasers for a document that runs to 24 A5 pages. (It didn't put me off, because I considered that, in twelve months' time, I should regret not having a copy more than I should regret shelling out the price of a cheap bottle of wine.) Secondly, though, and of more concern, is the very flimsy cover, made from the same paper as the rest of the booklet and nothing like as robust as, for example, the cover of The Old Carolian Magazine. With a reasonable amount of handling, its longevity must be questioned. Despite these points, it's an interesting read for Old Carolians and non-Old Carolians alike, and we wish the authors success with a well researched and timely compilation of some important bits of local history.