First Schooling - Christchurch Normal School

I commenced my schooling at the Christchurch Normal School and became so attached to it that, when the family moved to our new home in St Albans, we elected to stay on there in spite of a walk of a couple of miles that this involved. The headmaster, Mr Christopher Thomas Aschmann, together with his well chosen staff were excellent teachers, all of whom commanded our whole-hearted respect and admiration. For some unknown reason, everybody live din mortal fear of Mr Aschmann's strap, although no one had ever seen it. The truth was that he never needed it for he could do more with his tongue than any teacher with a dozen straps. At least he ensured that I received a thorough grounding in the 'three Rs' and learned to be proud of my heritage as a Britisher, for which I have always been thankful. Upon concluding my primary education with a Proficiency Certificate, I spent 1914 at the Christchurch Technical College following an industrial course in which I soon reached top of the class. Half way through that year the Great War broke out.