On Remembrance Sunday the Headmaster was honoured to receive from His Majesty’s Defence Attaché to Portugal, Commander James Capps, a photographic and document record of the medals and service record of William ‘Bill’ Bailey, a former OBS pupil, kindly curated and donated by his son, Mr Andrew Bailey. For his extraordinary bravery, Bill Bailey was awarded the George Medal (and bar) – the highest award for gallantry that can be awarded to a civilian – the Distinguished Service Cross, the Atlantic Star (and bar) and he was made Knight of the Ordem de Cristo, amongst other distinctions. He is believed to be the most highly decorated member of the British community in Portugal.

On the eleventh hour of the eleventh month the school was able to reflect together on the service of those such as Bill Bailey who, as children, played on the very field on which we were standing, and again fell silent to remember the fallen in all conflicts.