Marcus John Brook Connell, Field’s 1954–1958 (November 2024)
Marcus was the eldest of three brothers, attending Lancing in the mid-fifties, an era they regarded as Lancing’s Golden Years.
Marcus and Richard were born in Burma in 1940, to Hugh and Mary, Hugh being a civil engineer, involved in building the trunk road the length of the country, linking Burma to China. When Japan invaded, Mary was evacuated to a Mission Station at Kalimpong, situated in the Himalayas, whilst Hugh remained, blowing up his life’s work, in front of the Japanese advance.
Following Burma’s Independence in 1949, the family moved to Kenya where the three brothers had their first formal schooling, the problem being to learn how to learn, which most children acquire in primary schools. They found it difficult to assimilate conventional curricula as previously they were tutored by ayahs with Hindi being their first language.
Marcus and Richard spent the first two decades of their lives together very happily, apart from two weeks of anti-rabies injections into their stomachs which were extremely painful: and incarcerated in a prep school where they suffered at the hands of a sadistic headmaster who enjoyed corporal punishment.
From prep school they continued their education at Lancing. Lancing was totally different, having the reputation of being a happy school, due largely to a brilliant Head Master called John Dancy (Common Room 1953–1961), regarded as the best Head Master in the country. He appointed an inspirational cast of Tutors as Housemasters.
Housemasters included ‘Monkey’ Chamberlain (Common Room 1926–1965) who held the quarter mile record at Madison Square Gardens’ Indoor Athletics for many years. Ken Shearwood (Common Room 1952–1996) guided Lancing to the status of best public school football team; Ken once being captain of Pegasus, the best amateur football side, winning the FA’s Amateur Cup for many years. Ken introduced the new formation of 4:2:4 superseding the traditional 5:3:2.
Sam Jagger (Common Room 1937–1964), the country’s best squash player, captaining the English Squad, made Lancing the best squash school. He was not allowed to administer corporal punishment using a forehand stroke, because of his formidable hitting power. Sam coached Marcus, who enjoyed success at Squash Plymouth, winning the Veterans Cup.
Marcus and Richard were in Field’s House. The Housemaster, Patrick Halsey (Common Room, 1936–1968) was nicknamed ‘Tiger’ because of his gentle nature – despite having a father who was well-known as a fighting admiral in the First World War.
Marcus was an excellent sportsman and probably the strongest boy at College. He was captain of the Eton Fives team, held the record for the fastest swimming crawl and was captain of boxing, earning his ‘Colours’ in each. Paradoxically he also gained his Colours in chess, only being beaten by the brilliant Greenway, who won an Oxford scholarship aged 15.
Marcus had the strategic vision to plan ahead, demonstrated in a boxing competition against the captain of a rival public school. Marcus was being beaten but realised there was a place where the sun would shine directly into his opponent’s eyes. He out-maneuvered his opponent and landed a succession of solid punches, thereby winning. This incident typifies Marcus’s competitive nature and strategic thinking, often getting him out of difficulties. He hated conflict, advising against it.
After Lancing the twin brothers joined the army. Due to his excellent marksmanship and physical strength, Marcus’ platoon at Mons won a prestigious competition which was held annually by the Infantry Brigade, including the Guards, the Green Jackets, the Paras, the Marines, and the SAS. The competition involved a timed 25-mile route march with full kit, weighing forty pounds, including rifle, ammo, wireless and batteries. Marcus, the fittest, carried the wireless single-handedly and certainly had the best rifle score. At points, the platoon had to fire at targets at intervals of 200, 500 and 1,000 yards and the scores would count towards the final tally.
The platoon, some still teenagers, beat the battle-hardened regulars. When competing at Bisley, Marcus received advice from a Russian sniper, who had reduced the circular aperture on his rear sight by substituting it with a blacked disc with a pin prick, which increased accuracy.
On leaving the army Marcus pursued a farming career, after attending an agricultural course at Bicton College in Devon. He grew early spuds, barley for his pigs, and later strawberries and sweetcorn, on a pick your own basis. He had a large pig herd and 2,500 hens.
Marcus also insisted on a decent balance between work and life and continued playing sport, golf, squash and .22 rifle shooting. He would fish often in a clinker-built dinghy and was an excellent crabber.
The viability of small farms was fragile, and Marcus diversified into finance, starting his own firm, employing 30 staff, which gave him sufficient income to travel around the globe several times.
He was ably supported by Stephanie, his second wife and had a long and happy marriage.
Marcus’ final illness was prolonged and painful: he contracted cancer, which was never cured and led to complications with tuberculosis, resulting in weight loss, and muscle deterioration to the point where he became immobile. He died after a long and courageous fight, with his family around him.
Richard Connell (Fields 1954–1958) (Twin Brother)