DAVID AUGUSTUS – RAF – 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)