Kevin Wiseman's sister, Celia, passed many of the following photos over to Eugene, who then took great pains
to identify as many individuals as possible (as he always does). We are greatly indebted to Celia for this contribution ;
it covers important parts of the lives of many people who endured the rigours of life during and just after the war years.

(Source : Celia, sister of Fr Kevin Wiseman) The P.O.W. camp at St Denis, on the day of Tonsure. Read more about his period in the HISTORIES section : "Fr Kevin Wiseman's War" on Page 9, and Fr Pat Boyd's article entitled "Missionary Studies In A World At War" on Page 4

(L-R) : Vincent Batty, Dick O'Brien, George Fry, Kevin Wiseman and Paul Moody

(L-R) : Tom Morton, Tom Dooley and Tom O'Donnell

(L-R) : Peter Walters, Joseph O'Brien (?) and Francis Copping

(L-R) : Gerry Pitt, George Penistone and Jack Maguire *See page 13 of the HISTORIES section to read about George Penistone's involvement in the sixties with the Old Boys's Association *Jack Maguire's long term health suffered greatly from this period of internment. He was parish priest at Heston for a while and you can find other photos of him on Page 31 of the HISTORIES section.

(L-R) : Geddes Gerry, Gerry Taylor, Gerry Napper and Tom Rathe

Kerlois, 1940. The WF p.o.w.'s were taken here in 1940. The inscription reads : "Seminaire des Pere Blacs — Hennebont (Morbihan) — L'Enrtée")

An extract from Fr Pat Boyd's history (Page 4 of the HISTORIES SECTION) : Although the Second World War was more than a year away, the White Father Philosophy students in Autreppe (Belgium) were being made to face difficult decisions. They were alerted by a British Embassy official in Brussels that war was not very far away and that Belgium would surely become once more a battlefield. He advised the students to speak to their superiors in Autreppe with a view to their immediate transfer to Britain. Thus was the scene set for a series of new openings of houses in England which allowed for the complete White Father training, from Junior Seminary right through to priesthood, to take place in Britain. In June, 1939, the Philosophers left Autreppe to return to England. Negotiations had been completed to open a house of Philosophy in Rossington Hall near Doncaster. But even before the outbreak of hostilities, the army requisitioned our property at Rossington. New arrangements had now to be made to house our Philosophy students. It was agreed that they should go to Kerlois in Brittany (France) which our French confreres assured was completely safe from German intentions. The Philosophers assembled at Bishop's Waltham, and towards the end of November the students set out in groups of four for Kerlois - it was thought that smallness of numbers would ensure greater safety. By December 8 all the students, 30 in all, gathered together with their 60 French counterparts to begin their studies. How were they to know that France would fall to Germany in early 1940 and they would be interned in France for the rest of the War!

Kerlois, 1940. The WF p.o.w.'s were taken here in 1940. The inscription reads : "Seminaire des Pere Blacs — Hennebont (Morbihan) — La Cour Intérieure") Below : Scribbled on the back of the above postcard is Fr Wiseman's map of Kerlois

1940 : The lake at Kerlois. The inscription reads : "Seminaire des Pere Blacs — Hennebont (Morbihan) — L'Etang")

 

 

Pat McHale writes:

This morning my son drove me to Hennebont, 20 minutes up the road.   Does the name ring a bell ? It should ! I was visiting Kerlois, which we heard so much about as kids. It is now quite an impressive Catholic school : College St. Félix.    The main building has been preserved and they have added on a lot more classrooms.    I got permission to go inside the quad and take a couple of photos - not very good ones, I am afraid ; there are better ones on the school website !

(Source: Pat McHale)

(Source: Pat McHale)

(Source: Pat McHale)