Beginning in 1914 and lasting until the fall of 1918,

Malvern Collegiate's

children, not yet old enough to vote

or even legally drink, volunteered

to enter the maelstrom of what

would be the greatest and most catastrophic war in

this country's history

Like soldiers the world over

They were very youngThey laughed and they criedThey fought and they diedNot for king, queen or flag

But for each other

For they were:

Poem’s Author: A Grade 10 Malvern Student

Students of MALVERN AVENUE COLLEGIATE

fought and died as members of the famed CANADIAN CORPS, the only army in

the Great War never to lose a single battle it fought.

From Vimy Ridge which marked the first conclusive offensive allied victory of the war, to The Hundred

Days which ended it, Malvern students fought and

died not as British or Empire troops, but for the first time in our history as

Canadians.

A total of 25 Malvern students lost their lives overseas during

the Great War

In Holland Canadian soldiers are known as

The Liberators

Dutch Children as part of the school program adopt the graves of

Canadian soldiers

Visiting veterans are feted like rock stars

The sacrifices of this country are not forgotten

In Canada, many kids cannot even explain when the wars

were fought

The staff students and parentshave started to change that

A program was started to provide a human face to

those who defend and pay the ultimate sacrifice for our

freedoms

Who were the Boys of Malvern?

Joseph Taylor

A student at Malvern Collegiate

Joseph lived at 70 Silver Birch

He enlisted at 15 (a grade 10 student)

Joseph died January 31, 1917 as part of the daily wastage leading up to the Canadian assault on Vimy Ridge

He lies buried in France

He is not forgotten

Joseph is on the far left of the middle row

Joseph Taylor

Joseph would win no medals for bravery

He would do nothing more then be in the wrong place at the wrong time and pay heavily for it

He was the teenaged son of a family who loved him dearly

Following his death, a telegram delivery boy would arrive at the door bringing news that would shatter his family and forever change their lives

His voice in the halls of Malvern would be forever lost

The Great War and all its savagery found Malvern

22 other Malvern students like Joseph lie buried or missing

in Europe

Cecil Pugh Annis

William Kennedy Commins D.S.O. M.C.

Gordon Parsons Davidson

John Patrick Davidson

Gordon Ezra Duke

Martin James Flood

Cecil John French M.C.

Arthur Patrick Gorman

William Albert Heal

William John Hird

Walter James Hutchinson

Wilfred John Jones

Malvern Students Who Made The Supreme Sacrifice

Roy Wesley Kerr

Charles Simpson Lennox

Charles William Mabbott

Harvey George Mansfield

Charles Percy May

Robert Fountain MacLuckie

Arthur Jackson Smith Sisley

Donovan Laurier Sisley

Harold Wilson Spence M.M.

Joseph Rollit Taylor

John Archibald Trebilcock M.C.

Alsey Joseph Trebilcock

Murray Watson

On May 18, 1922 after a community fundraising

effort, a memorial cenotaph was constructed

and dedicated to the memory of the fallen

Malvern students

The cenotaph was constructed by Emmanuel

Hahn consisting of a marble figure on a

limestone base

On its sides are embossed the names of all 24

Malvern students who paid the supreme sacrifice and

lie buried overseas

Emmanuel Hahn is famous as the designer of the Bluenose on the dime, Caribou on the quarter and the Adam Beck memorial on University Avenue

in Toronto

The figure on the monument is none other than Toronto’s young world

champion rower Ned Hanlan

It is also believed to be the first statue of Ned Hanlan ever done dating the one at Hanlan’s point by four years

Several years ago the cenotaph was vandalized requiring part of the right arm be removed. The sword was broken off and stolen

Years of exposure to the weather have taken their toll on the exposed arm

The sad truth is that with the current school funding formula neither the Toronto and District School Board or Malvern Collegiate posses the funds to repair the cenotaph

The Onward Malvern Foundation, Centre 55 and The Malvern School Council believes that we cannot permit the memory of the sacrifices of these children to be lost

The Boys Of Malvern Project Goals

• Formally integrate the memory and accomplishments of theMalvern students into the school’s History curriculum

• Bring a human face to the former students. They are morethan names on limestone

• Repair the statue as close as technically possible to thecondition it was in when it was dedicated

• Properly secure and protect the monument against futurevandalism

• Formally rededicate the monument upon restoration with afull military dedication

To ensure the sacrifices of these students are remembered we have developed a project with the following goals:

• Students understand that the names on the monument are real people who attended this school

• Every student learn about the individual sacrifices of at least one of the soldiers whose names appear on the monument

• Unless the students learn of the sacrifice, the cenotaph becomes a gravestone rather than a monument

Formally integrate the memory and accomplishments of the Malvern students into the school’s History curriculum.

Repair the statue as close as technically possible to the condition it

was in when it was dedicated.

Neglect and the elements have taken a toll

We have had the monument examined by experts

Full restoration is achievable though expensive

A project has been commissioned to complete it

Integrate the monument and the memory of the fallen students formally into the

school curriculum

Properly restore the monument

Provide security to insure it is never again vandalized

Formally rededicate the memorial

$75,000 is needed to:

We need your help

For your contribution we can provide :

An income tax receipt

For corporate contributors, your logo as a sponsor on the dedication program and the accompanying video and website for the monument

An engraved thank you on the wall of honour at the school in memory of your donation for donations in excess of $100

The gratitude of the students, parents of Malvern Collegiate and the families of the fallen

Unfortunately nothing can be placed on the monument itself

Why are we doing this?

The answer is in the face of Charles Mabbot of 288 Main Street and 23 other local kids who paid a dear

price

They were real people with families who dearly loved them

A Boy of Malvern

The Toronto Star obituary on the death of Charles Mabbott 19 days before the war’s armistice.

He was more than just Private Mabbott. He was also a member of the Malvern Collegiate Rugby team.

He willingly left grade 11 at age 17 to go off to fight in the greatest war this country has known

Thank You