Rugby, St Matthews Church
Brass War Memorial Tablet at the north east corner of the main body of the Church of St. Matthew’s, Warwick Street, Rugby.
The adjoining window is dedicated to/ the Glory of God and in loving memory of those/ who as boys at Oakfield School, Bilton Road, worshipped/ in this Church and gave their lives for their King and/ Country in the Great War 1914 – 1918.
The Parish Magazine for February and March 1920 refer to the dedication which took place on12th Feb. This was performed by the Rev. F C Okell, the Vicar of Wrexham, Monachoram and an Old Boy of the School.
The Rugby Advertiser of Tuesday 17th February also has a paragraph about the event and records that the Memorial was made by Messrs. John Hall & Sons of Bristol & London.
Oakfield School was a private “Prep” school occupying a large house on Bilton Road on the right hand side as you leave town and just before Bloxham Gardens. The house still stands and is adjacent to the Co-op Funeral Parlour. At the end of 1800’s the headmaster was T. Arnold Wise. An old directory of Rugby Schools held by the Rugby Library describes the school as being ”Situated on the brow of Bilton Hill on the outskirts of Rugby, about 1 mile from Rugby Station. The playing fields, which are attached to the house are admirably adapted for games are upon 7 acres. Dormitories and classrooms are large & well ventilated & premises include gymnasium and workshops”
The school took pupils from about 8 years and upwards for entrance to public schools.
List of Names (in alphabetical order)
| Surname | Forename | Rank | |
| ARON | E M | Sub-Lieut. R.N.D. | |
| BRIDGES | R | 2nd Lieut. | |
| BRYCE-SMITH | N J | Lieut | |
| CARUTH | J G | 2nd Lieut. | |
| CASE | R | Lieut | |
| COREN | E W | 2nd Lieut. | |
| CRANE | C E | 2nd Lieut. | |
| DURNO | R | 2nd Lieut. | |
| EATON-SHORE | J | Private | |
| FITCH | Douglas | 2nd Lieut. R.F.A. | |
| FROST | A C | 2nd Lieut. | |
| FROST | J J | Lieut | |
| GRAHAM | C E | Major | |
| GREENER | L L | Lieut M.C. | |
| GRUBB | L E P | 2nd Lieut. | |
| JACKSON-TAYLOR | Curzon | 2nd Lieut. | |
| LAMBERT | K | Capt. | |
| LEVER | H B | 2nd Lieut. | |
| LOVEDAY | H D | Lieut | |
| MADDOCKS | J A | Lieut | |
| MILLER | G | 2nd Lieut. | |
| MORRIS | H | Lieut | |
| MUIR | B | Lieut | |
| OSBORNE | G C | Capt. | |
| OWEN | H F | Lieut | |
| PEYTON | M F | 2nd Lieut. | |
| PEYTON | W A | Capt. | |
| PHILLIPS | Eric Sutherland | Capt. | |
| PLIMPTON | R A | Capt. M.C. | |
| RICHARDSON | M | 2nd Lieut. | |
| RIDLEY-THOMAS | A | Private | |
| RIVERS-BULKELEY | C | Capt. | |
| ROSS | T E | Rev. | |
| TAYLOR | H B | Lieut | |
| THACKHALL-BROWETT | A | Capt. | |
| VESEY-FITZGERALD | H | 2nd Lieut. | |
| WHITE | G S A | Lieut | |
| WILSON | A W | Midshipman R.N. | |
| WINTER | A | Sergeant | |
| WISE | A V D | Capt. M.C. | |
| WISE | G E F | Lieut | |
| WISE | E S | Lieut R.N. |