The Story of J.L Caro at Bishops, 1927-34.
The Malta Monument to the Fallen of WWI and WWII.
James Caro who was in Gray House at Bishops in 2018 (son of Simon Caro, G - 1977) recently visited the Island of Malta, having been invited by friends to visit them there. They visited the Malta memorial to the Fallen of WWI and WWII and found that one of the names on the monument, being remembered for his participation in WWII, is that of James's Father's Uncle, John Leonard Caro, who was at Bishops between 1927-34. His life ended "in limine" (on the threshold of his life) after a flying accident over the Mediterranean which led to his untimely death, on 14 August 1944. J.L. had been with the S.A.A.F seconded to the R.A.F. and stationed in Egypt. His brother, Anthony (Tony) Montgomery Caro (Simon's father) was at Bishops from 1928-1933 after which he proceeded to Blundell's in the UK. At school, J.L. was particularly gifted in the Arts and was known for his clear speech, and his artistic sense made him a promising amateur actor. He passed his school exams with Honours and won the Sir Herbert Stanley Prize for Verse in Matric. The two boys were the only children of Mr and Mrs Cyril Caro of Kenilworth. As one can see from the photograph in the text (at the top), the memorial is in the form of a Roman colonnade, constructed from marble from the quarries outside Rome, and is carved with a light netted pattern and surmounted by a gilded eagle, on top of the fifteen metre high column. At the base appear the names of the fallen, among whom is J.L., and the inscription: 'Over these and neighbouring lands and seas airmen whose names are recorded here fell in raid or sortie and have no known grave - Malta, Gibraltar, Mediterranean, Adriatic, Tunisia, Sicily, Italy, Yugoslavia, Austria - Propositi Insula Tenax Tenaces Viros Commemorat', translated reads - "AN ISLAND RESOLUTE OF PURPOSE REMEMBERS RESOLUTE MEN". Bishops remembers its fallen whose names are inscribed on the various plaques and tablets, in the Brooke Chapel, in the War Memorial Chapel, in the War Memorial Hall (Theatre) and elsewhere in the school. They died pro Fide Et Patria.
James Caro pointing to the name of his Great Uncle J.L. Caro.
Above Photograph - the two sons of Mr and Mrs Cyril Caro of Kenilworth, L. is John Leonard Caro (J.L.) who never survived WWII and to the R. is Anthony (Tony) Montgomery Caro, who also fought in WWII and was slightly wounded, and whose son Simon Caro went to Bishops (G-1977) and whose grandson James Caro (G-2018) also went to Bishops - all the enclosed photographs are with the kind permission of Simon Caro (G-1977).
The photograph has kindly been supplied by Simon Caro, of his Uncle who died in WWII - John Leonard Caro.
