The History of East Ham Grammar School Part 3

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The History of East Ham Grammar SchoolPart 3

• 1905-1972

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Capt EK Myles VC
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• The sad story of a brave East London man.
• Edgar Kinghorn Miles was born in July 1894 in
  East Ham. As a boy he moved with his family to
  Blake Hall Crescent, Wanstead. He went to East
  Ham Council School, Shrewsbury Rd and thence to
  East Ham Technical College, which, some years
  later became East Ham Grammar School. The School
  opened in 1905, when he was 11 and it's therefore
  likely that he was in the first entry year. After
  School, around 1910 I guess, he became a Clerk
  for the Port of London Authority.
• On 20 August 1914 he enlisted as a private in the
  9th Bn. Worcs. Regt. In November of that year he
  was commissioned as a temporary 2nd Lt. and
  became a Capt in 1917. He served in Gallipoli
  from August 1915 to January 1916 before being
  transferred to Mesopitania in March 1916. He
  stayed there until April 1918.
• He saw action, was twice wounded and was present
  at the attempted Relief of Kut. On 9th April 1916
  at Sanni-I-Yat, Mesopitania, now in Iraq, he was
  awarded a VC
• "For most conspicuous bravery. He went out alone
  on several occasions in front of our advanced
  trenches and, under heavy rifle fire, and at
  great personal risk, assisted wounded men lying
  in the open. On one occasion he carried in a
  wounded officer to a place of safety under
  circumstances of great danger".
• On 25 January 1917 at Kut-al-Amara, Mesopitania
  he gained a DSO. The recommendation for DSO was
  originally intended to be for a second VC, but Lt
  Gen. Sir S Maud, GOC Troops at Kut did not want
  to set a precedent - a double VC was unknown at
  the time. The citation reads
• "When all the officers except two had
  become casualties, he, for five hours, inspired
  confidence in the defence against two
  counter-attacks also sending back most accurate
  and valuable reports of the situation. His
  courage and fine example were largely responsible
  for the steadiness of all ranks with him".
• He stayed in the Army until March 1928, having
  gained other medals - all are now in the Worcs.
  Regimental Museum. What happened to him after
  that I don't know but, in 1939, he became an Air
  Raid Warden in Leyton and then Islington. He
  rejoined the Army in April 1939 but was retired
  in January 1940, when he was about 46 years old.
  He married in 1947 at Hatfield when he was 53 or
  so.
• Its not sure what happened next, but years later
  he was found destitute living in a converted
  railway carriage accompanied only by a dog. He
  was admitted to the Huntley Royal British Legion
  Home in Bishopsteighton, Devon where he died aged
  82 in early 1977. He was cremated and his ashes
  scattered. There is no memorial tablet. RIP.

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Rugby 1st XV 1945-46 See notes
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Rugby 1st XV 1946-47
See notes
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School Play Henry 4th Pt 1, in late 1944 or
early 1945 See notes
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Prefects 1946
See notes
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Prefects 1947 See notes
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1949 Science 6(ii). Teachers Forrester S,
Forrester B, Marsh, Paine and Amstell See notes
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Prefects 1950 See notes
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Athletics. Russell Cup Team 1950
See notes
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Rugby 1st XV 1952-53 See notes
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OEs Rugby XVs 1955
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The End