Cornwall Comprehensive School

I attended Cornwall during the last part of term in 1972, 6th Form.

My father was WO Victor G. Lock, Ordnance Corp, Canadian Army and he was one of 3 Canadian Army personnel who remained in what was the old Brigade Area (everyone else was in the Black Forest region at Lahr and Baden-Baden or rotated back to Canada) to transfer various holdings to the British (and perhaps the Belgians...I forget). I was the last Canadian kid to remain in the old Brigade Area (Hemer/Deilinghofen, Werl, Soest). We lived in Iserlohn at this time, although I had lived throughout the Brigade area, except for Werl, both tours (1959-62 then 1969-72) and spent considerable time "hanging out" in Hemer at the Youth Club in the old Canadian (by then British) Married Quarters.

Being at Cornwall was an "experience." First off, as a Canadian kid, I was quite unfamiliar with the idea of having to wear a school uniform. I didn't care for it much LOL

Secondly, the school year was structured quite differently from a Canadian school so when I joined the student body in September, which would be the start of a new school year in a Canadian school, I discovered I had, in fact, joined part way through their year..which placed me at bit of a disadvantage academically (especially when it came time to sit my 'O' and 'A' Levels...disaster!!).

However, I quickly fit in and was, I'm pleased to say, appointed a Prefect.

I have a few fond memories of Cornwall and especially remember my "best mate" Derek Wilkinson whose father, as I recall, was a major (?).

I remember 'sneaking off' to the NAAFI in Napier Bks, right behind the pitch for the school, buying a couple cans of Guinness and, foolishly, jogging back to the school with the cans sloshing around in the pockets of our blazers. When opened we were presented with an arching spray of Guinness brown foam and the distinctive aroma of Guinness permeating the class room! Attempting to camouflage the smell by rubbing perfume sachet one of the girls offered into desk tops and the floor only served to make the classroom smell like a beer-soaked bordello...not that any of us knew what that smelled like, of course! I blame Derek for that escapade LOL

I also fondly remember bipping over to the small gasthof just inside the main gates of the friedhof (cemetery) situated across from the school with some of my fellow..and sister...Prefects during lunch. Just one or two small beers...wouldn't do to A) smell like a brewery upon returning to class or B) be totally swacked and falling asleep in class...especially if it happened to be Mr. Gibbons' English Literature class!!! The man was Old School and would have had no issue with a hard swat across the back of the head, if not advocating for outright explusion, if any of us dared showed up in his class "under the influence!" As it was translating Chaucer into modern English was enough to make anyone nod off....

The school is now the Europa Schule and the grounds are much changed. Some evidence of the Central Teaching Block remain.

I'd enjoy hearing from anyone who might remember me. I can be reached at calgaryfella1953@hotmail.com.

Cheers,

Stephen Lock
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

My elder sister went to Cornwall at that time I'll have to ask her what the exact dates were. i was at boarding school in the UK but I great fond memeories of my holidays in Napier Barracks. Always trying to buy fags and booze from the Naafi shop. also did a lot of fishing in the lakes at the back of the Camp. I can also remember the swimming pool. great times I really enjoyed living there as we lived on the Camp, my old man was the RSM at the time. maybe we new you then.

Stephen Lock replied to you on the other thread MEMORIES of Napier Barracks.

To BigM4c - what was your elder sister called by chance?