Archive

BFES/SCEA Association Archives Page.

The AGM and lunch in Leeds in October 2018 prompted new material into the Archives! Walter Lewis has scanned material sent to him and we can share it here, below, as well as depositing it safely at The Institute of Education in London.

BFES/SCEA Association Archives Page.

ioe_additionsb_july_2018.pdf
Download File

Our archivist - Wally Lewis - has dispatched two full record boxes to IoE in July 2018. Click on the link above to see what treasures were included. If you have anything that you think might be useful for future generations, please contact Wally via this site. Wally can advise if you are not sure!

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The Association's archives are housed at the UCL's Institute of Education (IoE), the largest institution in the UK devoted to the collation and study of education and related matters. Amongst their important collections are our papers of the BFES/SCEA Association. As artefacts memorabilia, memories and photographs are received we annotate and add to the collection. It is managed, catalogued and listed on line by professional archivists, led by Sarah Aitcheson, at the IoE.

This dynamic collection is the sole record of present and past educational provision for the children of British Service families abroad, since BFES was established in 1947.

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This article was written for the final 'Georgian Chronicle' St. George's School, Hong Kong in 1996

Thirty Years On

The Headmaster informs me, that with thirty continuous years' service with SCEA, I am the longest serving teacher in the history of that organisation. If the is is true, I can only say the years have flown. It seems like yesterday that my wife Dana and I with our two year son were awaiting with some trepidation (out first long haul), along with a few other new recruits we had met at the Eltham Briefing Conference, the departure of our turbo-prop aircraft which would take us in twenty-six hours via Kuwait and Colombo t the distant and mysterious unknown of the Far East. A last minute panic - our local doctor had not given our son the vital injections against yellow fever and cholera. So a mad dash across London to Millhill BMH. A while later, I consigned my old raincoat to the rubbish bin (I have never replaced it) and we boarded our plane for the start of a new life.

After University and a year as an assistant in a French Lycée, I had taught for four years at a comprehensive school at Swinton in the (former) West Riding of Yorkshire. The Comprehensive Schools were a recent development, often amalgamations of former grammar schools, technical or secondary modern schools, Swinton was a new purpose built glass factory for egalitarian education for 1500 youngsters from the neighbourhood. For the first time, Modern Languages were taught across the ability range, with the new CSE examination alongside 'O' level. It was rewarding but challenging work. I remember coping with an examination class of 35, one third preparing for 'O' level and the rest for CSE. Salaries were low and promotion slow. We needed a change, and so, having applied to Service Children's Schools and been offered the range of BAOR (Germany), Gibralter, Malta, Cyprus, Aden, Libya, Malaysia, Singapore or Hong Kong, I was finally appointed to teach French and Latin at Slim School, Terendak Camp, Malacca.

What a change, what a contrast! We thought we were in Paradise. No longer tedious bus journeys through the Yorkshire rain, snow and smog, but a car ride up the coast of the Malacca Straight, across the paddy fields and kampongs to the new Garrison HQ of the Commonwealth Brigade and its equally new small air conditioned secondary school of 350 pupils - British, Australian, New Zealanders and Gurkhas. It was a small, tightly knit, friendly and happy community. Our life revolved around the Beach Club and Mess with excellent opportunities for sport - squash, swimming, jungle treks ad scuba diving at Port Dickinson and on the East Coast. I also took the chance to attend Malay language classes and acquired a smattering which proved useful both then and on subsequent visits to Malaysia and Indonesia.

But one can stay too long in Paradise, and concerns for career development prompted me to move in 1968 to St. John's School in Singapore - a large well organised school of very high repute, which offered me a better chance to teach my subjects French and German to 'A' level. Now with a second son, born in Terendak, we spent three very happy years in Singapore. At St. John's we had a fully fledged BSAC Scuba Club, and organised regular expeditions to the various tropical islands dotting the South China Sea off Mersing. Night diving with the school students in shark and sea snake infested waters would perhaps not be sanctioned by safety conscious authorities these days, nor would our search for choice specimens of living sea shells and corals for our collections be approved by the environmentalist, but these were different times.

Having whetted my linguistic appetite on Malay, Singapore now presented the opportunity to try a more difficult 'tonal' language - Chinese. Opportunities and materials for study were meagre as Mandarin was not promoted by the government of Mr Lee Kuan Yew at that time, though it has since become an official language of the city state. Nevertheless, I persevered and embarked on a task which has frustrated and given me moments of joy and insight ever since.

In 1971 a change in government in UK brought a rethink in foreign policy and withdrawal from the Malay peninsula. We had originally planned to spend two years abroad and then return to UK, but now the chance to transfer to Germany was an option which we decided to take. We departed from RAF Changi on a VC10 in July 1971.

Queen's School and Rheindahlen Garrison were to be our base and home for the next sixteen years. Professional satisfaction in another excellent services school, where I assumed greater responsibilities and became Head of the Languages Department, coupled with good conditions, excellent colleagues and lack of financial worries; the opportunity to develop links with German, French and Belgian schools and to travel widely in Europe, especially in France, made these very happy years for us. My wife, Dana, now that the boys were older, served her apprenticeship then became School Librarian.

But I was now of an age when I should begin to think of resettling in the Uk. After all, SCEA policy did not offer a full career, and expected staff in their forties to look elsewhere. Then in 1986, just after the IRA car bomb which rocked Rheindahlen Garrison and shattered a lot of windows, fortunately without causing serious injury, a conference was held on the new GCSE examination. I learnt from the Headmaster visiting from St. George's School, Hong Kong that the Languages post would be vacant from June 1987. I was fortunate enough to be offered this post initially for two years, but with changing policy and impending closure in July 1996, extended to that date. This gave me the chance to further develop my interest in Chinese and to teach the subject to GCSE level over the past nine years, mainly to Japanese, Cantonese and Korean speakers, but also to the occasional brave Westerners.

Now, after thirty years away, we are returning to live in the Yorkshire village where I was born - no doubt as great a challenge, almost unknown as our destination of thirty years ago.

2013 - donation to Shin Kalay School (Afghanistan)

Dear All,

Here are some pictures of the supplies that arrived from Germany to Shin Kalay school. 5 large bench type chairs, 16 small kindergarten chairs, Tables, Cabinet for children storage supplies, Coat hunger stand. Office supply long plastic cover mattresses. Lots of books for children many other small items. Thanks to all of those who took in this great mission. We all are very thank full to every thing. this was a wonderful thing to happened. thanks again. Mohammad.

Mohammad Khan Kharoti, MD

Green Village Schools

Founder, President, Board of Directors

http://www.greenvillageschools.org/home

Excess furniture and children's books from Ark School (JHQ) were legally donated to the Shin Kalay School, Afghanistan. Ark closed in 2013 and finding a legitimate means of donating was a challenge. Mike Chislett (HT) arranged the donation and storage of the items in Ark's empty building, but the task of moving them was solved by Tom Nielsen-Marsh, who retired from HQ SCE only a few weeks later. Thank you, Tom!

Lady Humphrey with Headteacher, Martin Peacock,opening the school in 1978

Peter Hall has written his memoires of the time he and his family spent at various BFEs schools between 1965 - 1981. They will be available at the Association's archives held at the IoE. (See bottom of this page for more photographs)

The Association's Newsletter Editor, Tom Nielsen-Marsh, this picture approximately 1998

The Andrew Humphrey/Blankenhagen School Gutersloh closed in July 2016. Below are three photographs, taken from a large collection of material since deposited at the IoE.

Lady Humphrey & Headteacher Martin Peacock 1979

Andrew Humphrey staff 1990; Headteacher Nigel Furness

Blankenhagen Staff 1997: Headteacher Sue Adams

If you have any memorabilia, documents, photographs from you time with BFES/SCEA/SCS/SCE, you'd like to move them from your attic and you'd like to add them to the history of our schools please contact the Association's Archivist. Contact details below. Walter Lewis

Past President of our Association, Nolan Clamp, with Brigadier Pat Tuffnell, Commander Education HQ BAOR, on the occasion of Nolan Clamp's retirement in March 1991.

Nolan had been Director of BFES for 15 years.

Before joining BFES as Deputy Director to Eric Lowe in 1972; Nolan had served in the RAF in the 1950s and subsequently became Deputy Director of Education in Burton-on -Trent.

He retired as President of the BFES/SCEA Association in October 2015.

BFG Long Goodbye Almost Over 2013

Film courtesy of BFBS

Final Farewell to Derelict Kent School

Film Courtesy of BFBS News

Early History of BFES/SCE Administration

BFES/SCEA Association Archives

Updated 10th September 2016

More Updates coming soon!!

Operation Union - British Families route to join their military husbands stationed in Germany in 1946.

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Batu Junior School near Kuala Lumpur 1960s

Gareth Edwards visits Andrew Humphrey School

Agility apparatus, Dhekelia Primary School, Cyprus 1960s

Staff of Alexandra Grammar School, Singapore: 1959

SCEA teachers entered in Hong Kong's Dragon Boat Race 1976.

Peter Smith, teacher at St Andrew's Primary School, Kowloon at a the recently opened Teacher Resource Centre, Hong Kong 1976

Class photograph from Changi Primary School, Singapore 1960

Middle Row far right is Class Teacher Mr Strachan
On his left is Lynda Whittingham
Front Row far right is David Whittingham, Lynda Whittingham's twin brother
Can you identify any other pupils in this photograph?

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King Alfred School, Ploen, Reunion: 10th January 2015: Bloomsbury Hotel, London. 102 ex-pupils attended this event.

Lt Col Paul French, seen above addressing the members recently published the book, "BAOR Boarding School 1948 - 1959. It is a fascinating account of the life and times at King Alfred School, Ploen. The hardback book costs £19 and all monies go to the charity "The Not Forgotten Association". A copy has been donated by Paul for our Association's Archives and he has given his permission for us to use some of his material on our web-site. Below are some of his illustrations.

Pupils wait as the school train steams into Plon station.

The school's CCF was started in 1952

The Girl in a Red Blazer .

Middle Schools were one of the Government's better educational concepts and BFES took to the notion with enthusiasm in the early 1970s. Middle Schools, catering for the education of children aged 9 to 13 were purpose built and opened in RAF Bruggen (Cheshire Middle School)RAF Laarbruch (Rhein Middle School), Dusseldorf (Dalton Middle School), Sennelager (John Buchan Middle School) and Hohne (Heide Middle School)..

RAF Bruggen, later to become Javelin Barracks, Elmpt. The original, 1960s Bruggen School became Barnes Wallis First School in the 1974 when Bader First School and Cheshire Middle School were built and opened. In the 2000s the more modern schools were demolished and the original returned to its name of Bruggen School. Eventually closed in 2014.

Staff of Cheshire Middle School, RAF Bruggen: 1978

Peter Carmichael, Nick Turner, Carol Sutttard, Heathcliff Moss, Cath Jones, Viv Williams, ?, Eric Rhodes
Geoff Lambkin, ?, Nora Harkness, Janet Lowther, Janet.., Maggie Golding, Vic Ricketts (Bursar),
Lynda, ?, Pat Williams (Deputy), Peter MacDonald-Pierce (Head), Wally Lewis, Barbara..

Gp Capt Leonard Cheshire with Head of PE, Nick Turner, at the opening of Cheshire Middle School, 1975

Gp Capt Leonard Cheshire with Peter MacDonald-Pierce, Deputy Head at the time, later to become Head. 1975

Princess Margaret with Head of Mathematics, Geoff Lambkin. 1975

Gp Capt Leonard Cheshire with Head of Year and SEN, Peter Carmichael. 1975

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Images from "Tommy Atkins' Children" - Story of the Education of the Army's Children 1675 -1970 by Col NT St John Williams BA HMSO 1971

HM Queen Elizabeth II visits Eltham Palace July 1970

Regimental School, Poona 1897: 2 Royal Irish Rifles

Kent Comprehensive School, Hostert - 1980s

Kent Comprehensive School, Hostert - near JHQ Rheindahlen. The school closed in 1987 when it amalgamated with Queen's School, Rheindahlen at the latter's site in Rheindahlen.

These photographs are from the early 1980s - note the BBC B computers!

SCEA schools in Naples and Belize

Pupils at Naples School

Home time at Toucan School, Belize

SCEA Secondary Headteachers' Conference, March 1982.

For the first time since 1977 Headteachers from SCEA Secondary Schools in Germany, Cyprus and Hong Kong came together at the Headquarters Mess, RAEC, Eltham Palace.

St George's Secondary School, Hong Kong, was located in Kowloon Tong, off Waterloo Road, and, at one point, educated 950 children. It closed in 1996, prior to the hand-over of the Colony to China in 1997.

St George's Secondary School, PE Staff, 1976

St George's Secondary School, Hong Kong, Windsor House Staff 1976

IoE Friends Newsletter

The IoE used our Association's archives as their featured collection. The full two page article can be found on their web site, available on our Links Page http://www.ioe.ac.uk/services/932.html Of special interest from that article are:-

"In June 1946 Government made the decision that children should join their families as along as the education they received was at least equal to that they would have received in the UK".

"The catalagued archives include records of teachers and children working in Belgium, Cyprus, Egypt, Hong Kong, Malaya, Mauritias, Ceylon, Yemen, Belize, Singapore, Libya, Gibraltar, Brunai and Italy". (and are being added to every few months)

Sek Kong School, Hong Kong

"Memories Of Sek Kong School" booklet, produced to mark the closing of the school and of the colony in 1997.
Sek Kong Primary School was located in the middle of the New Territories element of the colony of Hong Kong. The School provided the education for 4 to 11 year olds whose parents lived and worked in the barracks/airfield around the Sek Kong area. The Gurkha garrison, also located around Sek Kong had its own school for some of the years.Single teachers were accommodated in a Teachers' Mess, part way down the hill into Sek Kong, near the school.

Tony Price, Sek Kong School, Hong Kong Circa 1960's

Tony Price, Sek Kong School + Car. Please note Registration!!

This magazine is an interesting and well produced history of the school and its garrison; full of articles and stories by ex-pupils, staff and parents, who lived in this almost last British outpost."
The magazine is now stored in the BFES-SCE-Association's archives located at the IOE.

ADEN 1962 - 1966

'The Army were desperate for someone to take on the task of founding this school.I applied, because I argued with my Director, BFES, Mr Pacey, who wanted to move the 11+ back by a full term at a Headteacher's meeting. Mr Buckley asked us all to give a vote of 'Yes' unanimously. I refused to do so since such a move of one full term would severely affect the results of the pupils who were less able, and would not therefore be able to pass, and thus gain the opportunity to go to a public school. The Director told me that I was 'A self opinionated bumptious young upstart.' I replied 'I have to agree with you Director'. In the event it never happened and he was big enough to congratulate me on my return.

It's not every day that a world wide news item happens on one's doorstep. the pupils of Stanley Fort School, Hong Kong had watched the QE 1 arrive in Hong Kong from America ready to be converted into the University of the Sea. Dramatically, in 1972 the ship caught fire and sank in Hong Kong harbour. By courtesy of HMS Tamar, several parties of children from Stanley Fort School were able to sail around the wreck to have first hand exciting experiences

The Anchor at St. Clement School JHQ

The children and staff of St. Clement's School, Wickrath celebrated the unveiling of the School Anchor on the 11th June 1987.
The anchor which forms part of the School crest had been gifted by the Royal Navy. The anchor in the above photograph came from the submarine support vessel HMS Wakeful.
This successful event followed two years of investigation by Mr Ian Gregson, Headteacher of St. Clement's School.

Queen's School, JHQ Rheindahlen

The founding headteacher, Mr George Wright, opened the school in January 1955 and then again on the Queens site in September 1955. His first entry in the school log reads as follows:

Sept. 14th 1955

To-day Queen’s School assembled in its permanent home.

Historical Note

The building was scheduled to open in January 1955, and certain staff were appointed to commence duty in that month.

This Queen’s Courier ran for many years and featured the life of the school through the fifties and sixties. Reports of school visits, sports matches, house reports, academic achievement, speech day, notes of staff and student work all featured as the publication rapidly became part of Queens School tradition.

The Queens Courier contained a number of photographs. These give us an insight into the school in its earlier years. Many past copies of the 'Courier' are stored in the Association's archives

Photograph, left, shows the Speech Day and Presentation of Prizes in 1957

As the twenty-fifth anniversary approached the headteacher, Mr Jim Lovegrove, wrote in his introduction to the Queen’s Courier:

‘As I sit in the pleasant surroundings of a Queen’s School approaching its Silver Jubilee it is salutary to trace in outline how it has developed in the 25 years.

In March 1987 the IRA planted and detonated a bomb close to the officers’ mess on JHQ. A number of windows in Chatham House were blown out as a result of the blast. Due to the heavy curtains being closed no-one was injured.

As a result of falling numbers Queens and Kent School (Hostert) closed and were and retitled Windsor School. It took its name following the closure of the original SCE Windsor School in Hamm in 1985. Windsor School, Hamm itself was formed from the amalgamation of Windsor Boys School and Windsor Girls School both of which had existed in Hamm since the early 1950's.

Headteachers of Queens School

Jan – Dec 1955 Mr G Wright B.Sc (Founding headteacher)
Jan – Dec 1956 Mr T G Benyon (Acting)
Jan 1956 – Dec 1959 Mr J V Taylor B.Sc, A.R.I.C.
Jan 1960 - 1972 Mr W B P Aspinall OBE, MA
1972 - 1976 Mr R P Gaskell B.A, M.Ed
1976 - 1987 Mr J Lovegrove (became headteacher at PRS, Rinteln)

Windsor School

Although the new Windsor opened in September 1987 both sites were retained with Years 7, 8 and 9 on the Queens site and Years 10, 11 and Sixth Form on the Kent site. Many staff and students had to travel in order to meet their timetable requirements. Windsor School remains in the same grounds and building as the former Queens School but has received upgrades to its building, such as an expansion of its West wing.

Options for Change (1991-1995) resulted in a reduction of Service personnel in BFG from 66,000 to 29,000, reducing the pupil population to approximately 10,000 of who 80% were primary.

In January 1993, after lengthy consultation, ‘Schools for the Future 2’ was published, providing four secondary schools to cater for BFG. Gloucester, King’s, PRS and Windsor. The reduction in secondary provision and the closuschools in Berlin, Dortmund and Munster resulted in significant changes of staffing throughout the remaining secondary schools.

Headteachers of Windsor School

1987 - 1996 Mr Tim Kilbride (transferred from headteacher role at Kent School)
1996 - 1997 Mr Gareth Jones (Acting)
1997 – 2005 Mrs Anne Farrell
2005 Mrs Karen Clark (Acting)
2005 - Mr Brian Davies

For more on Windsor School, visit it's Wikipedia entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windsor_School,_Germany

"........of particular interest in the Archive is the collection of pupils' work. Archive collections tend to form the records of either organisations or individuals (adults) whose contribution to their field of work has been considered of great significance and therefore worthy of permanent preservation. As a result, the threat is that, the experience of the child becomes the 'lost voice' amongst the legacy of educational theory, policy and practice.

The BFES/SCE Association's archive contains school magazines, publicity material for school productions and even short videos showing school children recording a song for charity. Although they only provide a snapshot, through using such items we can start to gain a better understanding of the experience of the child - the factor which is ultimately the main motivation for those working and studying in the field of education".

Additional Material

The Association is keen to build upon its Archives and additions can be made via the Association Archivist and through direct contact with the IoE. We would be pleased to receive memorabilia, memories, photographs, documents, Log Books and DVDs from present and past educationalists who serve or have served with BFES/SCEA/SCE. Between us all we must retain a vast quantity of material which will be of historical interest to future generations.
Please search attics and storage areas for long-past or recent memorabilia and forward what you can to the Association. All contributions will be acknowledged and copies can be retained in Archives if originals are required back by donors.

Jim with Princess Anne on her visit to Gatow School, West Berlin 1973

Jim with Major General Moore-Coulson, Director of Army Education at British Army Children's School (BACS), Tripoli 1963

Dorset School Kluang 1968 - 1970

These photographs have been donated by David Arden who was the Deputy Headteacher and subsequently Acting Headteacher from 1968 tuntiol the School closed in July 1970.

He was then appointed the following year as Deputy Headteacher of Highgate Hill School in Kuala Lumpur.

School buses arriving

School playing fields

School Buildings

School entrance

This photograph of a small Army Primary School (Three Teachers and 28 Pupils) in the tiny Malay island of Pulau Brani was sent to us by Lynne Copping. She was a pupil at the school from 1958 to 1961.
We believe that the school closed down in 1971 when the few remaining pupils transferred to Wessex school, Singapore.

Wellington First School Osnabruck, West Germany - Staff Photographs.

Wellington School Staff, Osnabruck, 1981

Wellington School Staff, Osnabruck 1985

Images of Victoria School and staff - Dortmund Garrison Circa 1974 - 1978.

Victoria Staff:
Back Row:
Sheila Robinson, Sandie Hall, Liz Eineson, Mike Metcalfe, Bob Steele, Jan Gwynnell, Anne?, Jenny?, ?
Middle Row:
?, Judith Collins, Chris Flather, Lesley?, Jackie Knight, Margaret Blair, Dee?, ?
Front row:
Katie Roberts, Judy Miller, Gareth Jones (DHT)Derek Spanner(HT), Jean Hardy, ?

Teachers were keen participants in The Dortmund Theatre Club productions - one theory was that it was one way to get moved up the housing list for quarters as the club chairman was also SSO!

Dortmund Theatre Club. The Boy Friend C1976

Bob Steele. Victoria School Dortmund.1976

Berlin Middle School at RAF Gatow 1977

Left to Right Back two rows
Maurice ?? – John Ireland (d2017) – Paul Rogers – Ian Jones - ?? – Gill Brookes – Lyn Cornelius – Dave Tryell – Austin Monaghan - ? Jones? - ?? – Dave Howatsen – Pat Rogers (I think) – Ted Campbell – Jim Thorley – Tom Nielsen-Marsh

Left to right front row
?? - ?? – Sybil ?? – Joe Eales – Colin Entiknap – Mary Lyons - ?? - ??

Left to right top two rows
Ian Jones – Joe Eales – Dave Tryell – Ian Hesketh – Tim Grundy - ?? – Have Howatsen – Ruth Clay - ?? – Peter Rawlcliffe – Austin Monaghan (Famous son in Lord of the rings) - ?? – John Birks – Jim Thorley – Me – Colin Entiknap (HT)
Left to right front row
?? – Mary Lyons - ?? – Janet Shocker? - ??

Picture above taken at RAF Gatow September 1978

"An Adventure Abroad" the memoires of Peter Hall, Germany 1965 to 198, are a fascinating and deeply informative picture of the life of a teacher and his young family moving around different BFES schools over that period. Below are three pages fro Peter's 261 pages. The memoires will be deposited at the IoE and may be accessed by anyone interested in researching that period

Detmold Primary School 1969

Peter Hall's memoirs 1965-1981

Sir John Mogg School, Detmold 1969

1965 – “School Is Everywhere” – DVD

The original reel-to-reel version of this promotional film, showing the life and work of teachers and administrators with the British Families’ Education Service, is housed at the National Film Archive. A DVD version is held at the IOE but copies may be obtained from the Association’s Archivist at a cost of £5. All proceeds go the BFES/SCE Association’s funds. Below is a short 2 minute collection of clips from the original 20 minute reel to reel film.

​BFES/SCEA Association Archives Page.