Gils Walker

 During the 30 years it took to research and write this book, several people were a continuing source of inspiration and encouragement, for which I am very grateful. They are men I went to school with as boys and who are now older men in their 60s, like me. People like Patrick Doheny, Jay Lumière, Gordon Glass, and Allan MacDougall. Equally, I am indebted to former teachers at Bishop’s College School like John Cowans and John Pratt.

My two editors, Bryan Demchinsky and Correy Baldwin, were sources of encouragement and criticism when needed, for which I thank them. Correy is a relative newcomer to the editing trade whereas Bryan is a veteran journalist who speaks like crusty lifers are supposed to speak. He says things like: “I turned up a few more fly specks amid the sugar.”
Dana Edmonds took charge of the images that appear in the book and the website created to promote the book. Their quality reflects her skills and patience.
My good friend, Barbara Sears, helped me with the research for the book but more importantly she encouraged me from the very beginning, telling me I could and should write this book.
My brothers, David and Julian, both former BCS students themselves (although they escaped Forster), have been loyal and insightful supporters over these many years.
Charlotte Breese provided me with encouragement and, often, accommodation on my various trips to England to research this book.
Graham Patriquin’s two-volume history of BCS, From Little Forks to Moulton Hill, was an indispensible reference and source of information.
Many other people helped me along the way. There are too many to name in full but I must mention Suzanne DePoe, Peter Hutchins, Tam Davis, Tony Suche, John Dean, Paul Cowan, Peter Norris, Michel Choquette, Ron Owen, Alexis Troubetzkoy, Stephen Fox, John and Jill Stephenson, Dendle French, Mark Abley, David Evans, David Muschett, William Walker, Jill McGreal, Dr. Peter Collins, Dr. Michael Seto, Judy Steed, Merrily Weisbord, Simon Dardick, Marion Hebb, and a very special thanks to Dr. Gizelle Popradi.
My wife, Hannele Halm, has always been the most reliable judge of my work, whether in filmmaking or writing. I dare not take a step without her support, for which I will never be able to express enough thanks. My children, Anna-Kaisa and Sam, have been patient readers and supporters when called upon.
It’s been a very long and winding road. This book began life some 30 years ago as a research project for a feature film entitled Retribution. Jefferson Lewis has worked tirelessly to write and shape the screenplay. We fervently believe the film will get made one of these days.
Harold Forster was a man whose very existence defied belief. Stories about him never failed to intrigue or astound, and their number grew and grew as the years went by and the research continued. Eventually, the collective revulsion against his sins coalesced into a class-action lawsuit brought against BCS by his former students.
That lawsuit has now been settled and the Harold Forster story has been told.