I was a teacher at the only school in the world called Montgomery of Alamein, in Winchester. Monty himself performed the naming ceremony.
Each year, in the summer term, I would lead a party of 12 year olds over to Normandy so that they might learn at first hand what the invasion involved.
We visited the town of Arromanches, complete with remnants of the Mulberrry harbour, but the highlight was always when we entered the invasion museum.
When the custodian heard the name of the school he unceremoniously pushed aside all other visitors and ushered the boys to the front so that they might have the best view of the exhibits.
© IWM (TR 1037)
Lunch was always eaten on the grassy hilltops above the German gun emplacements – one up to the British! In the afternoon we went to the cemetery in Bayeux, where I did as the Queen did on Friday and paid tribute to the thousands who had died by laying a wreath which contained the three lions from the Montgomery family crest.
One year as we left the scene we met three ex-servicemen who immediately recognised the symbolic lions on the badges of the boys’ blazers. On learning that we had paid tribute to their fallen comrades they became very emotional and real tears came into their eyes. The boys were affected too as they learnt from the details on the gravestones that some of those who had been killed were only a few years older than themselves.
As a postscript I might add that when Monty died in 1976 the school captain was given an honorary place in the choir stalls at the memorial service in London and the school prefects formed the guard of honour lining the path to his grave in his home village in Hampshire.
© IWM (BU 2263)
Note: The current Kings’ School in Winchester on Romsey Road was formed in 1985 by merging the two previous schools on the site: Danemark School (girls) and Montgomery of Alamein School (boys).
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- Montgomery Of Alamein School In Winchester: Astonishing Historical Pictures Revealed
- Humorous Memory: Montgomery Of Alamein School
You have had such an interesting life, Brian!
I would like to thank Brian’s daughter Sarah for getting Brian’s story typed up for us. Last time Brian told us some very interesting stories of his time at Montgomery of Alamein, including stories of some very famous students, and I regretted not having a recorder with me to record them.
I hope Sarah could continue to send us more stories from Brian.
i was one of the school prefects who attended his funeral in 1976. i recall the event on occasion to my students here in Brasil.
Robert D C Deacon
deputy head boy
Brian was my first tutor at Monty’s in 1973, I was in 1BSG and will always remember his fine humour and gentle manner. Such happy times and many fine memories and friendships formed.
John,
Thank you for your comment. I’ll pass on your message to Brian this weekend. I’m sure Brian will be delighted. Brian told me some fascinating stories about the school and I’ve learned so much from him.
I was also in 1bsg but in 1980 – top tutor and teacher – I am still trying to find a way to score 19 in crib despite his assurance that it is not possible.
Thanks Andrew for your comment. I’ll pass your kind words to Brian this weekend. He attends our local parish church. I’m sure he’ll be pleased to hear about his old students remembering him.
My son went to Montgomery of Alamein School. He was bullied the whole time he was there. By the pupils would have been bad enough but a lot of it was by the staff. He left being told he was stupid and would never amount to anything.
Now he is MA (research method) MA (forensic arch, NCL BSc (Hons NCL) RGN and is trials co ordinator at a large hospital. Where would he have been without the bullying teachers at Montys?
Valerie, thankyou so much for this post. I was there from 1963 to 1967 and so glad to leave, I left School actually believing I was stupid having been told so often. Weirdly for someone so stupid I became highly Professionally qualified in two different fields, managed to learn three foreign languages and have a personal IQ high enough to get me into MENSA!! Your son sounds like a good bloke – I wish him well
There must be a lot of stories like Valerie’s. Our eldest daughter was told, at Thornden, that she was useless at drama. Ten years later, a successful model and actress, she went back and told them about her film role with Tom Cruise and the film was directed by Stanley Kubrick.
I was told I would not take the 11+ exam as I was going to fail. I eventually became a Professor, but it took the intervention of some inspiring teachers.
I was pupil and deputy head boy in 1976 at the school and was one of the students who was present at Lord Montgomery’s funeral. It was a rather surreal occasion. I look fondly back at my brief memories as I sit here in Brasil!
Hi Rob, remember me from our rugby playing days for Winchester and the exchange pub? John Linton sent
A bit late but I only just come across this post. Mr Green (Brian) taught me English and I remember liking him – a great teacher who was both encouraging and fair. Most of the teachers there were good to be honest – enjoyed my time at Monty 🙂
Mr beacham took over a very unruly school and changed it
I will always remember his first address to introduce himself
His language stunned most pupils and made mr bath the deputy squirm
An old friend of mine (from university days) says he was in his last year at Romsey Road Boys’ Secondary when Dennis Beacham arrived, and was worried about how people would react, once he left school, when he said, “I was at Romsey Road.”
Within a matter of a few months, Beacham had changed the school so much that my friend was proud to say, “i was at Montgomery of Alamein.” He went on to do A levels at Barton Peveril, a Zoology degree at Exeter, and an MPhil at Kingston.
I spent the first two years of my teaching life at Montgomery, in the mid-1970s, and was full of admiration for Dennis Beacham, who was an excellent Head to work for. He knew every single boy in the school,knew exactly what was going on, and was completely on top of the whole thing. I’m still proud to have worked under him.
I was also in 1BSG in 1977 then into Mr Barnes tutor group. Happy days…
Although the first year tutor groups were all theoretically equally mixed, there was a definite pecking order, and Brian Green’s group was always reckoned to be the best. You were privileged to be with him!