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Jonathan entered the College in September 1976 and left in July 1981. He was in
School House and was a foundationer. He was killed whilst serving on HMS Brilliant.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

Patrick entered the College in September 1968 and left in December 1973. He was in Hazelveare House. Patrick was a very good runner who excelled at distances between 100-400 metres, winning all of these races in his age group. He also played at Centre for the almost unbeaten U16 Rugby VII team. Coach Tony Woolstone wrote in The Sower 1973 about the final of the Oxfordshire RFU Annual Sevens, their biggest tournament so far, with an entry of 103 schools. LWC had battled their way to the final against St Clear School from South Wales, who were winning, when: “ and then, with ten seconds remaining, marvellously, inevitably, Pat Priestley, with two men hanging on to him, staggered over for a try”. LWC won 6-4. Tony went on to write of him “The team’s inspiration. Scorer of countless tries, he epitomized everything that is best in school rugby, and remained modest to the end.”

Patrick was killed in an accident when based in Germany with the British Army.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

David entered the College in September 1956 and left in July 1963. He was in Sutton House. David played at Fly Half for both the 1st XV and 1st VII and was described as “Defensively very sound with a good kick and a fine pair of hands. A ready eye for an opening.” He was also a member of the 1st XI Cricket team and in 1963 The Sower it was said “David Love made a notable contribution to the success of the XI, both as wicket-keeper and batsman. Catching virtually everything that came within reach and playing some fighting innings when they were most urgently needed, he earned his Colours.” He was also a very competent Triple Jumper and member of the Senior
Cross-Country team.

David was killed in the crash of an RAF Shackleton in 1967 while based at RAF Changi, Singapore.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

Graham Blake joined the College in September 1944 from his home in Bristol and left in July 1949, having passed the Oxford School Certificate.

At the time of his death, he was stationed at RAF Colerne, Wiltshire. He was one of 41 people, including RAF and Army personnel and local instructors, on board a Handley Page Hastings undertaking a parachute training flight. According to eyewitnesses, the plane encountered difficulties soon after take-off and crashed into a barley field outside Little Baldon, Abingdon with no survivors. At this point in time (1965), this was the worst peacetime accident involving any passenger aircraft of the Royal Air Force.

Sergeant Blake left a wife and four children.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

Originally from Gloucestershire, Dennis Parsons entered the College in September 1933 and was in Handcroft Games House. He was in the 1st football and cricket XI teams and was an outstanding sportsman. He passed the Oxford School Certificate in July 1938. He was appointed Prefect in September 1939. He left in October 1939
to join the Gloucester Constabulary as Clerk until of age to join as a constable.

He joined the RAF during the war but it was whilst serving at RAF Butterworth in Malaya, as it was then known, that he was killed in 1953.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

Name included on Armed Forces Memorial, National Memorial Arboretum, Staffordshire Ronald joined Old Gosden in 1932 from his home in Ledbury, transferring to LWC in 1935 and left in 1942 having passed the Oxford School Certificate.

He was apprenticed to Dowsett Construction Co Ltd in Colwall, Herefordshire but at some stage joined the Navy.

Ronald died whilst serving in the Fleet Air Arm at HMS Heron (now known as RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset.

Robert Parsons entered the College in September 1933 and was in Sheephouse Games House. He was appointed a Sub Prefect in 1938. He left in March 1939 and went to Messrs Shaw & Elder in Guildford on probation.

He stayed on in the RAF after the war and was stationed at RAF Thornhill, Gwelo in what was then Rhodesia. He died in a flying accident and is buried in the cemetery there.

* Included on the Armed Forces Memorial at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire

Williams entered the College in September 1936. He was in Hyde Games House and Scout Troop and gained his Oxford School Certificate in July 1940, and the Higher School Certificate in July 1942. He was appointed a prefect in 1941.
On leaving the School in April 1943, Williams enlisted in the Royal Air Force and was accepted for a University Short Course and entered Durham University. On leaving Durham he went to Canada for training where he gained his Pilot’s “wings”. On returning to this country he transferred to the Fleet Air Arm and was commissioned
as a Sub-Lieutenant.

On 29th April 1946 he was engaged on a routine flight in a fighter aircraft and when approaching the coast on the return journey in bad visability he struck the mast of a fishing vessel and crashed into the sea.

To his mother and younger brother we express our deepest sympathy and deplore the passing of a young life at the outset of a promising career.

(Extract from The Sower December 1946)

Lionel Foyle entered the College in May 1937 and left in November 1941 to take up an apprenticeship in engineering with R A Lister Ltd, Dursley.

He died whilst serving in the Army during the post war riots in Egypt.

Savage was at Gosden for three and a half years before coming to the College in  September 1934. He was a member of Sheephouse Games House, House Captain, and Scout Troop. He was appointed a Prefect in 1940 and Head Prefect in September 1941. He obtained his Oxford School Certificate in July 1939. Savage left school to take up a Government Engineering Cadetship, and on successfully completing the training was appointed a midshipman in the Royal Navy. Some months after taking up his appointment he had a break-down in health. He was on sick leave when he was admitted to hospital for treatment for an illness which proved fatal. He died on 22nd October 1945 at the age of 21 years. To his mother and his brother, Geoffrey, who is an officer in the Merchant Navy, we express our deepest sympathy and deplore the passing of a young life at the outset of a promising career.

(Extract from The Sower December 1945)

Howell entered the College in September 1936. He was in Hyde Games House, 1st XI football and cricket teams. After gaining his Oxford School Certificate, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force at the age of 17 as an apprentice clerk, intending to make the RAF his career. On completion of training he felt that he should be taking an active part in fighting and transferred to air crew duties voluntarily. He went to Canada for training, qualified as a navigator and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer.

He was posted to Bomber Command and was engaged on several operational sorties. On 24th March 1945, his plane failed to return from operations over Germany. Most of the crew were seen to bale out, but during those last few weeks of the war many of our airmen who were shot down have never been traced in spite of extensive search and enquiry. In December the Air Ministry reported Howell as presumed killed.

(Extract from The Sower December 1945)

Clarson entered Gosden in October 1932, and was transferred to the College in September 1934. He was in Handcroft Games House and Scout Troop; 1st XI football and cricket teams (captain). At athletics he shone as a sprinter, and in his last year at school he won both the 100 yards and 220 yards at the Athletic
Sports, breaking the School record for the 200 yards. He was also captain of his house at swimming.

He obtained his School Certificate in July 1940, and he was a Prefect. He left school at the end of the Christmas Term 1941 and obtained employment in the offices of Messrs Heinz & Co at Bristol.

On being called up, he was selected for a Royal Air Force University Short Course and entered Worcester College, Oxford, where he played football for his college and was selected for the Varsity XI versus the RAF.

He completed his training as a navigator; received his commission in the RAFVR; and was navigator of the plane in which he lost his life on a bombing mission over Germany on the night of 18th/19th July 1944. He did exceptionally well during his operational training and had been selected as a prospective “Pathfinder”.

At a memorial service held at St John’s Church, Clifton, the College was represented by Mr S C Gould of Bristol University, a former member of our staff.

(Extract from The Sower December 1945)

Peters entered the School in January 1931, and left in October 1936. He was in Sheephouse Games House and Scout Troop; 1st XI football team. In leaving he was apprenticed to Messrs Bowden & Higlett, electricians at Guildford.

On being called up under the Armed Forces Act, he joined the Grenadier Guards, in which he served for ten months and then volunteered for the Paratroops. He subsequently received a commission and was a Lieutenant at the time of his death. He went to Normandy with the 6th Airborne Division on D Day and was killed in action.

(Extract from The Sower December 1944)

Sampson entered the School in September 1929, and left in September 1936. He was in Handcroft Games House and Scout Troop; 1st XI football and cricket teams. On leaving he was apprenticed to Messrs R Lister & Co., engineers, at Dursley.

He joined the Territorials in 1938, served in France and was in the evacuation at Dunkirk. He lost his life in the Normandy landings in June 1944.

(Extract from The Sower December 1944)

Evans entered the School in September 1931, and left in April 1936. He was in Sheephouse Games House and Scout Troop, and gained the Oxford School Certificate in July 1935. On leaving, he entered Newbury Post Office as a clerk. He subsequently joined the Hampshire Regiment, served in France and went
through the evacuation.

He received a commission in 1941, and at the time of his death was a Captain (acting Major). He was killed in action in Burma in May 1944.

(Extract from The Sower December 1944)

Cole entered the School in September 1933, and left in July 1939. He was in Sheephouse Games House and Scout Troop; 1st XI football and cricket teams and gained the Oxford School Certificate with matriculation exemption in July 1938. On leaving, he was articled to the County Surveyor, Gloucester.

Cole was a good games player and a sound athlete, and in July 1938, led Sheephouse to victory in the Athletics Cup, himself gaining second place in the 100 yards and 220 yards, third in the 440 yards and first in the High Jump.

On joining the Royal Air Force he was sent first to Canada and then to the USA for training, gaining his “wings” and returning to this country as a Sergeant Pilot. He paid a visit to the School in July 1943. On completing his operational training he was posted to a fighter squadron and went to India in August 1943. He failed to return from a flight in January 1944 and was reported as missing, presumed killed.

(Extract from The Sower December 1944)

Charles married an Old Gosden girl, Margaret Short (ZA99), in August 1943. She later remarried.

Sherwood entered the School in October 1933 and left in March 1936. He was in Handcroft Games House and Scout Troop; 1st XI football and cricket teams. On leaving, he entered Basingstoke Post Office as a clerk.

He joined the Royal Air Force and was trained in Canada under the Empire Air Training Scheme and returned to this country with the rank of Sergeant and an observer’s “wing”. He paid a visit to the School on his return. He went out to the Middle East and was reported missing after operations over the Mediterranean in August 1943. He has since been presumed to have lost his life.

(Extract from The Sower December 1944)

Mellor entered Gosden in September 1930, transferred to Long Sutton in September 1933 and left in September 1939.

He was in Hyde Games House and gained the Oxford School Certificate with matriculation exemption in July 1939. On leaving school he was employed with Messrs Thomas May & Co., incorporated accountants, of Leicester, as an articled pupil.

Mellor volunteered for the Royal Air Force as soon as he was old enough, was sent to Canada in 1942 for training, and gained his “wings” in March 1943. He was retained in Canada as a Sergeant Pilot for instructional purposes and lost his life in a flying accident on 8th July 1943, a few days before his 20th birthday.

(Extract from The Sower December 1943)

Martin entered the School in April 1932 and left in November 1937. He was in Hyde Games House and gained the Oxford School Certificate in 1937. On leaving he entered Basingstoke Post Office as clerk.

On being called up under the Armed Forces Act, Martin joined the Army and was sent to the Far East. He was safely evacuated from Malaya at the time of the Japanese attack and reached Sumatra. On leaving there the ship in which he was travelling was torpedoed and he was listed as missing. Recently news was received from the War Office that he is now presumed to have lost his life, the official notification stating “There is no possibility that he can have survived.”

(Extract from The Sower December 1943)

Cantle entered Gosden House in 1930, transferred to the College in January 1931, and left in March 1937. He was in Hyde Games House.

Cantle joined the Royal Navy as a boy direct from school and on passing out from HMS Impregnable served for some time on an aircraft carrier. He was subsequently transferred to a destroyer and lost his life when his ship was torpedoed.

(Extract from The Sower December 1942)

Name included on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Hampshire Harris entered the School in September 1931, and left in November 1936. He was in Sheephouse Games House, a Prefect, in the 1st XI football team. He gained the Oxford School Certificate in 1935. On leaving he entered Abingdon Post Office as clerk.

On being called up under the Armed Forces Act he joined the Royal Navy and lost his life in HMS Fifi in the operations off Crete. Harris had previously survived being torpedoed in the North Sea.

(Extract from The Sower December 1942)

Baker entered the School in March 1927 and left in April 1933. He was in Sheephouse Games House, a Prefect, in the 1st XI football team, and gained the Oxford School Certificate in 1932. On leaving he entered the employment of
Messrs J Sainsbury & Co.

Baker voluntarily enlisted in the Royal Air Force soon after the outbreak of war. He was seriously wounded in night operations over Germany on the night of 21st/22nd January 1942 when serving as a Sergeant air gunner. His machine returned to England, although badly damaged, and Baker was taken to hospital, where he died of his wounds the following day.

(Extract from The Sower December 1942)

Name included on Fleet Air Arm memorial at Lee-on-Solent, Hampshire Oaten entered the School in January 1928, and left in June 1933, to enter the estate office of Sir Bernard Greenwell at Marden Park. He was subsequently transferred to the
estate office in Suffolk and continued in this employment until voluntarily enlisting in the Royal Navy (Fleet Air Arm) soon after the outbreak of war. In a letter which was published in the 1939 Sower he wrote: “I was rather dubious about joining at first because it’s Mother who makes the sacrifice, but she told me to go, and this after my father was killed (in the Royal Navy) in the last war.”

Oaten was a prefect, a Patrol Leader in Sheephouse Scout Group, and a prominent member of his House at games. He was a tower of strength as a halfback in the School 1st XI and was one of the best swimmers the School has produced. An Old
Boy on hearing of his death wrote: “Oaten was a fine fellow; he went right into everything he tackled head first. So vital and full of fun. What a doughty fellow he was on the football field – a human dynamo with a heart of a lion.”

Oaten was killed in action at the age of 25 when he was serving on the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in January 1941.

He was present at the last Reunion in August 1939.

(Extract from The Sower December 1941)

Augustus entered the School in September 1933. He gained the Oxford School Certificate in July 1939 and was still at school for the first seven months of the war.  He contributed an article to the 1939 Sower entitled “London on the eve of war”.

In March 1940, he entered the firm of Messrs Peters at Slough, but he was impatient to fit himself to serve his country in a more active way, and after a short stay with that firm he enlisted in the Royal Air Force. He entered on his training with the greatest keenness and gained his “wings” at the early age of 18 years 9 months and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Pilot. At about this time he made a flight over the School. He met his death while engaged on intensive operational training on fighters some weeks before his 19th birthday.

“Gussy”, as he was popularly known among his schoolfellows, took a very active part in the general life of the School, was a prefect and a patrol leader in Hyde Scout Troop. He was a keen swimmer and gained the Bronze Medallion of the Royal Life
Saving Society in 1938.

His death at such an early age came as a great shock to the School, where there are many boys who remember him intimately.

(Extract from The Sower December 1941)

Palmer entered the School in September 1934. He gained the Oxford School Certificate with matriculation exemption in July 1938, and in the September of that year left for an apprenticeship with Messrs Saunders-Roe Ltd., aircraft manufacturers. After serving some months, he enlisted in the Royal Air Force, and at the time of his death held the rank of Sergeant, although only 19 years of age. The plane in which Palmer met his death was evidently brought down off the coast, and in a letter received from his mother she stated that the body had been recovered from the sea and sent home for burial.

Palmer, who was a member of Hesters, will be remembered for his prowess at games. Possessed of a fine physique, he was a tower of strength to his House side at football, and as a full-back served the School 1st XI well. He also represented the 1st XI at cricket, being a useful bowler, and in his last season at school won the Lloyds Bank Bat for the highest individual score in School or House games, with a score of 79.

In the Christmas play of 1937 he took the part of Prospero in “The Tempest”.

(Extract from The Sower December 1940)