THEY had not long put away their schoolbooks and headed for their
chosen careers when war came. Like thousands around the country, the
old boys of William Crane School answered the call to arms — and some
paid the ultimate price for their courage.

When the war ended in 1945 and the sad toll was totted up, William
Crane headmaster H E Dear had more than 25 names of old boys who did
not return home. He suggested there should be a permanent memorial to
the fallen in school and his woodwork master, Arthur Cordren, took up
the challenge, producing the wooden dais, pictured here, which was
used every morning at assembly.

But over the years, it became worn and, so the story goes, one day it
was taken away to be repaired and no one knows what became of it.
The school is gone now, but for ex-pupils, like George and Raymond
Newton, the memories remain, particularly of that dais.

George, 82, said: "All the names mean something to me, they were all
of my age group. I knew them by name, or by sight... the names still
ring bells for me. The Roulstone brothers lived just a few doors away
in Fulwood Crescent. We used to play together as lads."
But for George, and brother Ray, 74, two names hold deeper
significance — T Newton and S Newton. Tom Newton, 21, was the first
to die. He was training with the Parachute Regiment at Ringway Airport,
Manchester. On a practice jump, his parachute failed to open.  Brother
Ray believes he was the first Para of the war to be killed.
In his memoirs, George remembers the knock at the door which he
answered. His parents were at work so he read the fateful telegram
handed to him by a sad-faced police sergeant.

"In a flash, my blood ran cold, I could feel the colour draining from
my face ... the shock was such that I burst into a fit of
uncontrollable tears," he recalled.

His devastated parents brought Tommy's body home for a funeral with
full military honours, at the Northern Cemetery
They did not have that privilege with his brother, Stan. On March
18,1945, he was lost when his ship HMS Daffodil was sunk off Dieppe.
George, by then in the RAF based in Cornwall, was actually writing a
letter to his brother when the news was broken to him by an officer.
After two shots of whisky, he was sent home on compassionate leave to
comfort his parents over the loss of another beloved son.

So their names were added to the list which eventually found its way
on to the William Crane dais.

Ray Newton remembers it being made: "I watched the woodwork master
almost every day. it took him about a month.  "When it was finished a 
photographer came from the Post and Mr Head had copies made to give 
to the mothers of all the boys who had been killed."
It was then Ray noticed a crucial mistake. Mr Cordren had mistaken
Tommy's initial and put a J instead of a T.
"I pointed this out and Mr Cordren had to fill it in and carve a new
initial. You can still see the J on the original photograph."
The subject of the dais cropped up again in the columns of Bygones
when another ex-Crane pupil, David Birch, asked about its fate.
Is there anyone from that era who remembers? Write to Andy Smart at
Bygones, Evening Post. Castle Wharf House. Nottingham NG1 7EU if you
can add to the story.
For the record, the names on the dais include:
P Armstrong (Sergeant): RAF Volunteer Reserve, son of Mr and Mrs C B
Armstrong, of Aspley, killed November 10,1942, aged 20.
H Ward (Private): Sherwood Foresters, son of Nathan and Nellie Ward,
of Nottingham, killed November 26,1943, aged 24.
E Thornhill (Electrical Artificer): Royal Navy, son of James and
Oliver Thornhill. husband of Caroline, on December 10. 1941. aged 21.
R Brown (Gunner): Royal Artillery, son of Albert and Lily Brown,
husband of Irene, of Radford, on April 10,1942, aged 21.
T Newton (Pte): Parachute Regt, son of Thomas and Florence Newton, on
June 29. 1942. aged 21.
J Stainton (Corporal): Royal Armoured Corps, son of John and Annie
Stainton. husband of Evelyn of Lenton, on November 2,1942, aged 29.
S Newton (Leading Cook): Royal Navy, son of Thomas and Florence
Newton, on March 18.1945.
K Hall: Details unknown.
B Whitehead: Details unknown
J Tyers (Able Seaman): Son of Ernest and Agnes Tyers, of Broxtowe, on
April 18,1945, aged 20.
A Roulstone (Pte): Sherwood Foresters on September 1944.
F Roulstone (Pte): Kings Own Scottish Borderers, on March 27,1945,
aged 23.
A Spray (Sgt): RAFVR, son of Alonzo and Ida Spray, of Aspley, on
February 4,1944, aged 20.
G Cannock (Sgt): RAFVR, son of Frank and Annie Cannock on February
26,1944, aged 19.
H Birch (Sgt): RAFVR, son of John and Elizabeth Birch on March
4,1945, aged 21.
G Neal: Details unknown.
G Roper (Leading Aircraftman): RAFVR, son of Josep Florence Roper, of
Aspley, on June 1, 1945, aged 21.
H Hutchby (Able Seaman): son of Albert and Elsie Hutchby on April
16,1945.
G Hind (Lance Sgt): Royal Armoured Corps, son of George and A E Hind,
on August 5,1944, aged 23.
W Howes (Able Seaman): son of William and Lily Howes of Aspley, on
February 25,1944, aged 20.
C Barks (Gunner): RA, son of John and Phyllis Barks of Aspley, on
August 27,1943, aged 20.
H Brown: Details unknown— this name appears twice
K Moore: Details unknown
F Saville (Lieutenant): Leicestershire Regt, son of Frederick and
Evelyn Saville, of Aspley, on May 10,1945, aged 20.
E Alexander (Flt Sgt): RAFVR, son of Ernest and Annie Alexander, on
June 22,1943, aged 21.
It was not possible to identify three names o

Nottingham Evening Post 10 June 2006.