Feildians and Beaumont Hamel

Some time ago Senator Bill Rompkey was attending a ceremony at Beaumont Hamel and noticed a plaque commemorating the lives of those boys from St. Bonaventure's College in St. John's who paid the supreme sacrifice at that battle and others during two world wars. He thought that it would be appropriate to have a plaque there honouring those Feildians who made the same sacrifice for King and country. He contacted Dick Cook ('56) and myself ('62) and asked if we would spearhead a committee to ensur that a suitable commemorative plaque or piece of artwork graced the walls of the museum at Beaumont Hamel.


Dick and I contacted our own Gerry Squires who has a history with Feildians as he designed the ceramic plaque of our founder, Bishop Feild, for our 150th. anniversary held in 1994. That plaque now hangs in a prominent place in his Cathedral in St. John's. Mr. Squires enlisted the help of Mr. Boyd Chubbs, designer and calligraphist and after several months of effort proposed a number of drawings to Dick and myself. It needs to be said that we had immense help from Bill Rompkey and Bill Steele. Both suggested wording and the use of our own symbols for the final result.



This is a picture of the finished product. In my next blog I will ask you if you are able to make a donation to this effort and where to send it.