Edinburgh pupils help create book to remember school’s WW1 fallen

Ashley Fitzgerald in front of a stain glass window designed by the pupils with portraits of former pupils who died during World War One.

The country sent 690,000 men to war with more than 140,000 soldiers losing their lives. To mark 100 years since the end of the First World War, S4 students at Boroughmuir High School researched some of those former teachers and students who endured, fought and perished during this conflict.

More than 700 people associated with the school played their part in the war effort. A total of 170 of those lost their lives and as a result had their names listed on school’s own war memorial – now stationed in the new building’s assembly hall.

Research from janitor Neil Anderson and consecutive groups of S4 students has enabled the school to compile the fascinating stories of all but two people on the memorial, featuring medals, letters and photographs of soldiers.

Alexander Drysdale Lugon, attended Boroughmuir between about 1908 and 1914.

He began university but in 1914 he joined the British Army and went on to fight in France.

In 1916, he was in the Machine Gun Corps and in the advance on July 1, the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

He was struck in the chest by a piece of shrapnel and miraculously survived with the bullet becoming embedded in a small bible which he always carried in his left breast pocket.

Mr Lugon survived the war and returned to Edinburgh, becoming a teacher and later headmaster at various schools in Fife.

Higher and Advanced Higher art pupils also created a stained glass installment and ceramic poppy display in a way to honour those who fell.

All the information, alongside material about life at the school during the war, has been published in a book called Boroughmuir At War, a resource that history teacher Aileen Robb anticipates will be a legacy that people will look back on for years to come.

She said: “Boroughmuir has such a rich history and it is important to respect those who fought and lost their lives during the war.

“When the students picked a name they really took ownership and wanted to find out as much as possible.

“The Old School Magazine, Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Scottish War Memorial were among some of the resources we used and everyone has really enjoyed it.”

The school featured the pupils’ findings at an exhibition yesterday in conjunction with launching the self-published book.

Amy Barnes, 15, said: “Learning about former students at Boroughmuir makes it more real and we were intrigued to find out more. It is strange imagining them in the same classroom that we used to be taught in.”

Ashley Fitzgerald, 15, added: “It’s amazing the amount of information you can find out about these people. I was doing the research for one man who lived in the same street as my friend does now.”

Anyone wishing to purchase Boroughmuir At War should contact the school directly.