麻豆社

As war was declared, boys going into their final year at Eton, who were members of the College鈥檚 Officer Training Corps (OTC) chose to enlist instead of finishing their studies. Alongside them were old Etonians, Masters and staff.

Meanwhile, life at Eton continued with boys carrying out war service at a munitions factory, on local farms or on parts of Mesopotamia; the School playing fields, which were dug up to grow potatoes and root vegetables.

Food and fuel were rationed and the school took in a number of Belgian refugees, including the son of the King of Belgium. They lived in boarding houses with the boys and joined in with lessons when their English was good enough.

The Headmaster, Edward Lyttelton, was forced to resign after making what was deemed a pro鈥揋erman speech at St Margaret鈥檚 Church, Westminster in which he said that people should hate war but not Germans.

Altogether, 5,650 Etonians served in WW1; 1157 of them gave their lives and are remembered today in plaques and memorials around the College grounds.

Location: Eton College, Berkshire SL4 6DW
Photograph of Eton boys courtesy of Imperial War Museums
Presented by 麻豆社 reporter, Janice Hunter
Interviews with Lord Home of the Hirsel and Sir Christopher Lighton courtesy of the Provost and Fellows of Eton College and extract from Eton College Chronicle read by William Rice

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