For all the major games (including athletics) there were Divisional games to be played, aggregational points to be won, and the 'Aggregate Shield' to be presented at the end of the (sporting) year. The 'Aggregate' consisting of the points scored by a senior and a junior division combined. For the purpose of competitive sport, we were split up into our divisions. Divisions Nos. One (a senior division), and Four - (a junior division) combining to form the 'Jellicoe' team. Divisions Nos. Two (senior) and Three (junior) combining to form the 'Beatty' team. In this way, we did not have older (bigger) boys competing directly against younger (smaller) boys. During these years we never played matches of any sort against outside teams, although from the literature of the Jubilee Year (1954) of the school, it is obvious that such became the case in post war years.

Our major sports were, of course, football in the winter months, and cricket during the summer months. Often, our P.T. (physical training) class would be in the form of a game of football. Each school class had an average of around twenty five boys, so there was always enough for the selection of two teams. My recollections of these occasions always seem to centre around those matches we played in the freezing cold conditions on the lower field. There must have been at least the odd occasion (even during the winter months) when the weather was reasonably pleasant during these games, but it is the former which remain in my mind.

For these games, we would assemble on the Lower Road at the 'Tub Room', where the football boots and jerseys were kept. The tub room, being where the boys who wet the bed washed their sheets each day, was always kept warm for drying. As a consequence of this warm and dry atmosphere, the leather in the football boots was always rock hard, making them uncomfortable to wear. In the years since I left the school, my notion of the ultimate in personal discomfort has always centred around my experience of those games. Standing in the often freezing wind and sometimes rain, waiting for a kick of the ball which, because of my incompetence at the game, rarely came.

These games, played during school class time as either sport or P.T., were all compulsory, unless one had some sort of medical excuse or other (which had to be confirmed by the Matron, and which I never seemed to have). For the more competitive games which were played for the Aggregate Shield, teams were chosen on a divisional basis. In my case, this was number four division, the junior partner in 'Jellicoe'. Even though each division fielded 'A' and 'B' teams, my utter ineptitude always ensured my non selection. However, the participation of the non playing boys was always required in the form of spectators, yelling encouragement from the sidelines.

CRICKET

Cricket, being played during the summer months, and therefore (usually) during warmer weather, was not as actively disliked by me as was football. However, my incompetence was almost as great at cricket as it was at football. We used formal scoring books with all the correct cricket scoring terminology already printed in. I soon discovered that learning to score properly ensured one of a seat on the terraced slopes overlooking the field of play rather than participating in the game itself.

The surface of the lower field on which all our major sporting events took place, was mainly reddish earth. There were a few spots where grass had valiantly tried to assert itself, but in general, the lower field playing surface was a dust bowl in summer, and a mud bath in winter. The senior section was the eastern end of the field, and the junior pitch was at the western end. Goal posts were erected in winter for football. For cricket, each end of the field had a concrete pitch built in to it's surface. The edges of the cement being well tapered into the surrounding ground. When a cricket match was in progress, a coir mat, which covered the entire length and width of the concrete pitch between the wickets, was laid. This provided a much better surface for batting and running on than did the bare concrete strip.

Proper red leather seamed cricket balls were only used when major games were being played (as for instance, the Aggregate Shield). For all other games, we used rather heavy, seamless rubber coated balls. Being a bit on the small side, I had great difficulty trying to bowl one of these rubber balls the full length of the pitch. Since my inadequacy at cricket permanently precluded me from the 'first class' games, I never got to use either of the ball types very much.

Captain Evans was himself a keen cricket player. The best players in the school were formed into a 'First Eleven'. Members of the first eleven were given first eleven colours. Just what these 'colours' consisted of, I cannot recall, but I know of at least one boy who was stripped of his first eleven colours as punishment for an offence. Matches were played between the officers and boys of the first eleven. When, on one occasion, the boys had the temerity to win, the two highest scoring boys were promptly thrown fully clothed into the swimming pool by the slightly embarrassed officers! I don't recall a reciprocal act when, (as was mostly the case) the officers won! It was all done in the spirit of the game, and provided relief for what was sometimes a fairly monotonous existence.

BOXING

The boxing tournament was held every year, during the February to March period. Entry was compulsory unless medical reasons (authorised by matron), precluded one. Despite the many euphemisms about boxing which abound: '...noble art of self defence...', '...make a man of you...', etc., I was not convinced then, nor have I been convinced since, that it is anything more than a modern day blood sport. I can think of no other 'sport' where the ultimate achievement is to render one's opponent unconscious, with a strong possibility of him (and one's self) suffering some degree of brain damage in the process.

The boxing tournament started when all boys in turn were summoned to the Regulating Office to be weighed. After the weigh in, all boys were classified according to their weight groupings and matched up to other boys of similar weight. I always ended up in lightweight or featherweight, or some such classification.

Lists were displayed, whereby each boy was matched to a boy in a similar classification. If you won your first bout, you then fought the winner of the two boys below or above you on the list. It was a knock out competition (in every sense of the word) until only one boy in each classification was left. That boy being declared the champion of that weight classification. Divisional points were scored, adding to the total for the Aggregate Cup at the end of the year.

Rules, we were told, were according to the amateur boxing code, and I'm sure that is what prevailed. Each bout consisted of three rounds of three minutes each, with one minute intervals between. Singlets such as those one sees in amateur boxing matches, were not part of the general school dress issue, and so boys entered the ring bare from the waist up for the preliminary fights. (It probably saved on the bloodstains!) However, for the finals, boys wore their P.T. vests. Each contestant wore a sash around his waist in the colour of his division i.e., green, blue, red or yellow. The gloves used were the huge size prescribed for amateur boxing. They are supposed to be soft enough to prevent severe damage, and I'm sure they do. However, knockouts were not uncommon, and we stood in awe of any one who was able to render his opponent unconscious as one to be obeyed, and generally given a wide berth in future!

As stated, the boxing was compulsory. With all the preliminaries completed, i.e., weigh in, bout lists and dates of bouts posted on the notice board, all that was left for me was to don the leather and fight! Apart from one fight I had with a particularly unpleasant character when I was about eight, I had never fought with anyone before. Indeed, this was the first time I realised that people fought on weight! Until then, I had always thought that if a boy was older, then I had better do what I was told, or else! I found myself going into the ring actually hoping to get K.O'd! This way, I would be out of the contest first try!

Well, the first year, I went the full three gruelling rounds, and then lost on points. Actually, I think my opponent was of the same mind as me, which being the case, we kept getting told to 'mix it'! I think the judges awarded the fight to the one of us who looked least likely to burst into tears! The second year I won my first fight, (again after three punishing rounds!) and had to fight again. My second opponent was a real 'go getter', and to this day, I swear he had to chase me around the ring. Needless to say, I was extremely pleased (if somewhat battered) when he was awarded the contest.

There were many boys who liked the rough and tumble of the boxing tournament, equally, there were others like me who did not. To have objected on any grounds at all would have been close to heresy. It was much easier to go into the ring and hope that one's performance was sufficiently unimpressive to ensure that the winning points were awarded to one's opponent. It was not considered 'wholesome' to rail against such a 'manly' sport - or any sport for that matter!

I came across the same attitude on my first ship (the SS Orion), soon after I left the school in March 1942. I was a deck boy, and on Saturday afternoons during our time off, the bo'sun organised boxing matches between the deck boys! 'Learn how to defend yourself boy - make a man of you', (now where had I heard that before?) It quickly dawned on me that he was having a bit of sport at the expense of the deck boys. Again, I was the smallest boy, (my Merchant Navy Identity Card says I was 5 feet 3 inches in 1942!) and I decided to tell him before it all started that I did not want to box, nor indeed would I. He hummed and ha'ad, called me the seaman's equivalent of a wimp, (in anything but wimpish language) but in the end, he had no choice other than to drop me from his gladiatorial list! Even he could see that there could be no contest if one of the participants was unwilling.

He got his own back, however, when he made me single handed clean out the anchor windlass castings and hawse pipes each time we up-anchored. God that mud stank! and I was sitting in it for about three days each time we weighed anchor! (Plus, of course, all the other unpleasant jobs which came up for the next few weeks!) Such was the price of self respect!

SWIMMING

However, I was not a complete duffer in all the sporting events, I even won prizes in the swimming pool! Each year we had a swimming regatta. Entrance in the various events was obviously not compulsory! Preliminary heats between the best boys in each event, and in each division were run off prior to the Regatta, and the final events between divisions constituted Regatta Day. All the usual races were run. We had breast stroke, back stroke, and freestyle races. There were events for individual swimmers and for relay teams. There were also diving contests using the high board, and the (recently installed) spring board.

I entered in most of the individual events, and the diving events. I won prizes in the relay races, (freestyle), and events on the diving boards. Prizes were awarded for First, Second, and Third places, and consisted of 2/- worth of canteen for the first place, 1/- worth of canteen for the second place getter, and 6d. worth of canteen for the third place getter.

After the 'serious' races and events, we had a 'Greasy Pole' event which consisted of a large round pole which spanned the width of the pool. Contestants entered, one from each side, meeting in the middle. Each boy clutching a pillow, especially re-enforced so that it would not split with the constant bashing it received. It was then the job of each contestant to knock his opponent off the pole, and into the water by using the pillow as a battering device. This was always a popular event!
As with other sports, cups were awarded on a divisional basis, but not to individuals.

FIELD AND TRACK SPORTS.

As with boxing, all boys had to enter the divisional preliminary events, and the best boys in each event and of each division, contested the final events on Sports Day.

Sports Day was held on the lower field, and for the occasion, tracks were marked out in the grass with whitewash. If it was a nice, spring, or summers day, sports day could be a very pleasant affair. All the boys who were not actually taking part sat on the grassed terrace overlooking the main field. Their job was to urge on their divisional representatives to bigger and better things as vociferously as possible. Again, all the usual track and field events were represented. All the length or distance races from one hundred yards, two hundred yards, four forty yards, to eight eighty yards, and, I believe, there was also a mile race. Hurdle races, relay races, plus of course, the high jump and the long jump. We had a special sand pit for the long jump in the lower left hand corner of the field. There was no pole vault, and I don't recall seeing a javelin throw or a shot putt. For the boys who were able and interested, there was plenty of opportunity in the field sports. My achievements were nil in the sporting field. Although we all had to enter the preliminaries, those of us who were not really motivated, were soon weeded out and the arena was left clear for the boys with the talent in these departments.

The bonus for us lesser mortals was that unlike boxing, apart from a few sore muscles, we did not have our faces re arranged in the 'weeding out' process!

Part of the general sporting calendar was the Cross Country Race. This was held at a different time to the main sporting events. Usually, it was held in a 'cooler' time of the year. From memory, round about April or May. The course was set at about three or four miles, and varied from year to year. In the several races I ran in, we covered much of the surrounding countryside including the 'Top' road which led past the radio masts, the Nore Road, the Mariner's Path, and the Gordano Roads. Since it was an event which gained 'aggregate points', it was competitive on a divisional basis. Number three, and number four being the junior dormitories, would run in competition, then number one and number two being the seniors, would run in competition.

The races themselves were usually run in the late afternoon. Runners would be briefed as to the route, and marshals would be sent out to direct runners at critical turning points. The junior's race, involving as it did two divisions, had about one hundred entrants. There were about a dozen boys or so who were very good, and usually took the first few places. In a field of about one hundred, I usually came in somewhere over fifty, and less than seventy.

We were always strictly warned not to lie down on the tarmac of the terrace in order to cool off after the race - which was quite a temptation! However, showers were the order of the day, after the race, and these were always welcome.

GYMNASTICS

Considering my lack of enthusiasm for physical events in general, it was surprising that I should take an interest in Gymnastics. I think I liked the precision of the various exercises and mat work in general. Whatever it was, I usually coped with it fairly well. We did nothing really spectacular. We performed various exercises using the standard gym equipment such as the buck, the vault, benches, mats, rope climbing, and of course, the regular gym exercises. I can't remember any competitions along these lines, and as far as I can remember, there were no special privileges attached to being a member of the gym team. I can only conclude my participation was because I enjoyed it!