Preston Grammar School Old Boys
Register of National Service by PGS Old Boys after 1945
Immediately after the end of the war numbers of Old Boys were noted in The Hoghtonian and occasionally in the press as being in the Forces. It was not always made clear whether they had been caught by a residual call up for War Service, joined up as Regulars, called up for National Service, or had opted for a 3-Year Short Service Commission. So far as possible this listing is made up of those Old Boys who served as National Servicemen or took Short Service Commissions. Clarification of the status, the identification of errors, additional details of dates and locations, and many more names with full details will be welcomed. The call up for National Service was abruptly suspended either at the end of 1957 or very early in 1958.
Service or Unit Not Identified
Baker, R G H1-1950.
Beardsworth, J A H1-1950.
Bennett, PGSOB goalkeeper called up in February, H7-1958.
Fisher, G E H1-1950.
Hoskin, George Has now completed his National Service, H1-1956
Hudson, R K H1-1950
Jolly, C M H1-1950.
K G Kall, H1-1952. (This is probably a printing error of K G Hall.)
Marsh, J I Assistant Editor of The Hoghtonian, to the Forces, H1-1950
A K Mercer now in Forces, H1-1947.
Rook, Bryan H 1939 to 1946. Held the School records for the Senior Cross Country, Mile (1945) and Half Mile (1946) the two latter still standing in 1953. County Colours for Hertfordshire. BSc (Manchester). Died 18th January 1953, rock climbing near Llanberis Pass.
Smith, E H1-1950.
Tate, D L H1-1950.
Thompson, J N H1-1950.
Turner, J D 1951.
Whittam, Peter H Spent most of his two years in Jordan and Cyprus, H7-1958.
Royal Navy
Bland, J Michael Lieutenant, electrical officer, Fleet Air Arm.
Bowes, Robert Aged 20, missing presumed drowned off Helensburgh on 1st January 1955
Goodenough-Bayly, David Sub-Lieutenant, passed out of Dartmouth.
Hayes, G to join RN, H7-1946.
Walker, Derek B REM Radar Mechanic, H1-1950.
Royal Marines
Newton, Derwent Commandos, H1-1958.
Army
Armitstead, Jeffrey Commissioned in RAOC.
Bamber, Cyril Sergeant, Royal Army Education Corps, Austria, H1-1950.
Bennett, Trevor T Left PGS 1948, Solicitor, then his two years spent in the War Office, H1-1958.
Berry, G, Sergeant, Royal Army Education Corps, Trieste 1950.
Birchall, R M Six months Radio Mechanics course, Royal Signals, Catterick, 2½ hour test each week, H7-1950.
Brindle, A W Bicester Ordnance Depot, playing golf, H-Spring-1951.
Chynoweth, Peter Lieutenant, passed out of Sandhurst at the same time as the Duke of Kent, H1-1956
Coulthard, Richard Army in Germany H1-1956
Cronkshaw, H Rifleman, Bodmin, after Bushfield Camp, H1-1950. Education Corps, H7-1950.
Finch, S J H7-1950. Basic training at Aldershot, then training to be a technical clerk, RAOC. H7-1950. Bicester Ordnance Camp, H-Spring-1951.
Foy, Jack Completed ARIBA and is now on National Service in the Royal Artillery, H7-1959.
Gamble, D Physics Laboratory Assistant, into the Army, H1-1958.
Garstang, Brian Army H1-1952.
Gregson, D to RAF H1-1950.
Gregson, D J Army, H1-1950. These two entries may well be for the one Old Boy. Tradesman / clerk, RAOC, Weedon, Northamptonshire, H7-1959.
Howarth, J B Sergeant, Intelligence Corps, near Tel-el-Kebir, Canal Zone.
Kernohan, Ian completing his National Service as a Captain, RAMC, has become a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons at 27 years. H7-1960.
King, Eric Corporal, Royal Engineers, Seen by G Berry in Schonbrunn Barracks, Vienna, H1-1950.
Knight, Michael E is completing his National Service in Germany. H7-1959. After Oxford is in the Army H1-1958.
Lowe, John Fusilier KIA, 25th February 1952 Lancashire Fusiliers.
Mattinson, Alan L A C In a desert at El Adem, spent a leave in Malta, H7-1947.
Metcalf, Leslie Left School 1948, has been with the army in Germany, H1-1956.
Newton, K REME, H1-1950.
Relph, David, Fulwood Barracks, Royal Army Pay Corps, H1-1958.
David Ralph is completing his National Service H7-1959. (Shouldn’t this be Relph/)
Richmond, C C Corporal. Sailed 8th July 1949, Georgic, for Port Said. To 9th Base Ammunition Depot, Ismailia, but the camp was out in the desert. H1-1950 RAOC? Recently demobbed, H7-1950.
Shorrock, B Sergeant, Education Corps, at Bodmin, H7-1950.
Slater On board Georgic, seen by C C Richmond. H1-1950.
Swindlehurst, G Lieutenant, H1-1947.
Till, Joseph Sergeant, Royal Army Education Corps, Vienna, H1-1950.
Thomas, B O Army, H1-1952.
Turner, Alan 2nd Lieutenant, RASC, 1960.
Walker, J B Sapper Regimental Police H7-1948
Whalley, K Corporal In the Army, one of 100 soldiers chosen to spend time in the Navy to experience how one of the other Services lives. On 1st February left Portsmouth on board the destroyer HMS Myngs to rendezvous off St Catherine’s Point where the Home Fleet was drawn up in two parallel lines and the new battleship HMS Vanguard, Flagship of the Fleet, steamed slowly between the lines. Then Gibraltar, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Portugal - Leixoes - back to UK where he prefers dry land under his feet, H7-1947
Wilkinson, P R Trooper, H1-1947.
Royal Air Force
Balmer, J Brian Basic training, near Hereford, H-Spring-1951. Died suddenly 23rd November 1999 at his home. Married to Avis (Clark), daughter Ethnie (married to Andrew ...?), son Steven. Funeral service St Andrew's Church, 30th November 1999, committal at Preston Crematorium. He did his National Service in the RAF Police, Dog Handler. Employed by Lancashire County Council, County Planning Department, administrative officer in charge of the Filing, Mail, General Office. Took early retirement about 1985.
Bell, C W RAF H1-1952. Training for a commission. Joined last August; on 11th January 1951 left London as one of the first party of 28 cadets to go to Canada for pilot training, H-Spring-1951. Temperatures range from 40° below to 80° in May.
Bradshaw, James David MB ChB, Flying Officer, Medical Branch. H7-1953
Brewer, G LAC H1-1947.
Brown, ex-ATC, training to be a pilot, H1-1950.
Davy, Gordon Wireless course and a Russian course, H1-1956
Dicken ex-ATC, training in South Africa to be a pilot, H1-1950.
Earle, D to join RAF H7-1946.
Elkin, T K to RAF H1-1947.
Fairclough, William Derrick 5 Forestway, Fulwood, Preston PR2 4PR. Membership List 1992. Born 1929. PGS prior to King’s College, University of London. Qualified as a barrister, National Service in RAF, then began practising law in 1953. Chambers in King Street, Manchester, moved to Dean’s Court in the 1970s then opened a satellite chambers in Preston. He was involved in the trial at Lancaster with the infamous ‘handless corpse’ case. Head of Chambers. Recorder of Liverpool, offered and accepted position of Stipendiary Magistrate of Manchester in the early 1980s, turning down opportunity to become a Circuit Judge. Subscriber, Heppell. Died aged 76, reported in LEP 15th April 2005 and funeral at Christ Church, Fulwood, 19th April 2005.
Halliwell, RAF, training for a Short Service commission as a navigator, H-Spring-1951
Halliwell, Dennis Flying Officer been in the Far East, now on radar research with Canberras, H1-1956
Hamer, A ex-ATC, training to be a pilot, H1-1950. Officer Cadet, flying training on Prentices at Feltwell, Norfolk, H7-1950. Awarded his pilot’s wings at No 3 Flying Training School, Feltwell, H7-1951.
Holt, T H near Stafford, H-Spring-1951.
Hunt, Keith FRIBA, FRTPI, commissioned 26th October 1955, captained the RAF Officers Football XI “Icarus” during a three year Short Service Commission, with the rank of Flying Officer, following completion of his architectural studies at Manchester University. He was on Preston North End’s books as a Junior, as well as playing for Lytham FC and the representative Lancashire Amateur League XI. Keith Hunt became a Partner in the architectural Practice of Tom Mellor & Partners where he worked on a wide range of projects, including universities, schools, colleges, hospitals, and industrial projects. He was appointed chairman of the Partnership in 1968 until his own retirement in 1991. Since then he has continued as a Consultant Architect to such bodies as the Church Commissioners. Past President, PGSA.
Johnson, Stanley F LAC. H1-1947.
Knight, J R Completing his basic training at Hednesford, H1-1956
Mattinson, Alan AC 1 H1-1947.
Parker, Roger to RAF, H1-1950.
Rhodes, Ken RAF Cranwell 1963.
Roberts, B Henry Officer Cadet, Pilot RAF, H1-1947. Pilot training in Isle of Man, H-Spring- 1951. Piloted a Meteor in the Coronation fly-past.
Robinson, N P H7-1950
Seed, J H to RAF H1-1947.
Sleddon, G J H1-1950. In RAF training for a commission, H-Spring-1951
Stirling, Frank I RAF Henlow 1963.
Thomason, O N Learning Russian H1-1952.
Topping, J AC1, Square-bashing at Bridgnorth; trade training at Wythall; RAF Staff College, Bracknell, H1-1950.
Travis Seen at Wythall by J Topping. H1-1950.
Walton, John Butler Membership Register 1177, 24th November 1950. Pilot Officer, Education Officer, RAF Pembrey,
Warburton, Stephen Andrew Pilot Officer Navigator 1963.
Wiggins, G R ex-ATC, training to be a pilot, H1-1950. Officer Cadet, flying training on Prentices at Feltwell, Norfolk, H7-1950. Awarded his pilot’s wings at No 3 Flying Training School, Feltwell, H7-1951.
Old Boys are asked to provide information about their own National Service and to give details, no matter how brief, of Service by other Old Boys who now are no longer amongst us.
