Service and Sacrifice Stonyhurst College: War Record 1939-1945, by Raymond Walsh (THCL Books, Blackburn, £12) John Laffin
THIS book, published half a century after the outbreak of the second World War, is an attempt to commemorate the service of Stonyhurst men who served in the armed forces during that war. The War Record gives brief details of the more than 1,000 Old Boys in uniform. They won at least 200 honours and decorations, including two Victoria Crosses. Printed in a numbered edition limited to 2,000 copies, with many photographs, the book is a welcome addition to the history of a great school.
"None of us believe that the men listed here either wanted war or rejoiced in war," writes the Stonyhurst Rector, Fr M K O'Halloran, in a foreword. "All of us believe that they longed for peace and for justice. Too often that may seem a fragile bequest but it is part of the mission of Catholic Stonyhurst to make it strong."