Major Gerald Hedderwick

Major Hedderwick, M.C., The Royal Tank regiment, R.A.C., was born on 26th May 1893, and at Loretto from September 1907 to April 1912. He was a Prefect, in the VI Form, XV, XI< Hockey Team and Fives Couples, editor of the Lorettonian, and a Sergeant in the O.T.C. After graduating at Clare College, Cambridge, with honours in History, he went to Flanders as Corporal, D.R., 4th Army Signals, in October 1914, but a month later obtained a commission in the Royal Scots. He was promoted Captain in September 1916. From November 1916 to August 1922 he was seconded for service with the Heavy Machine Gun Corps (Which afterwards became the Royal Tank Corps and ultimately the Royal Tank Regiment) and was awarded the M.C. in September 1917. He then retired with the rank of Major, and joined the Reserve of Officers, the Royal Scots. In 1922 he served on a War Office Committee on Tanks. Between 1919 and 1922 he played Rugby for the Army and the London Scottish, and in the Final Scottish Trials.
In 1923 Major Hedderwick joined the Loretto staff, and was appointed Vice-Gerent in 1935. At the end of August 1939 he rejoined his old corps, the Royal Tank Regiment, and on 5th May 1940 went to France in command of A Company, 7th Battalion. He was killed in action on 21st May of the same year while leading Mark II tanks in attack near Arras.

"His death was a tragic loss to the whole of the Royal Armoured Corps, as well as to all his contemporaries of the Royal Tank Regiment. The influence he exercised on all ranks was that of a born leader whom junior officers and men followed instinctively, as one whose judgement they could trust in all circumstances. He was one of themselves at rugger, boxing, athletics and in battle. As members of his battalion came back, one realised from the way they spoke that they regarded his death as a personal loss, besides the passing of a fine officer who could ill be spared."

Lieutenant (Acting Troop Commander) James Graham Stewart Henderson

Lieutenant (Acting Troop Commander) Henderson, The Royal Engineers, was born on 15th December 1923, and at Loretto from September 1937 to February 1942. He was a prefect, in the VI Form, Boxing and Athletics Teams, and a Corporal in the J.T.C. After a six months` engineering course at Queen`s University, Belfast, and subsequent training in England, he was posted to 617 Assault Squadron, 42nd Regiment, R.E., and served for a time on the east coast, preparatory to the invasion. In the summer of 1944 he landed in Normandy and fought at Le Havre and in the battle of the Maas. He was wounded at Le Havre on 10th September. On 16th October, during assaults near the Maas, while helping to lay a bridge across a river between Oberloon and Venray in Holand, he was wounded and later killed. He is buried in the British military cemetery at Venray.

"The country was boggy and the crossings needed very careful positioning. To do this Graham dismounted from his tank to reconnoitre on foot - a very brave thing to do, as heavy mortar fire was coming down and snipers were at work. On the river bank he was grazed on the temple by a sniper`s bullet. He then started to get back to his tank, but a mortar bomb pitched beside him before he could get there and he was killed instantly."
"He was one of the best subalterns in the Regiment. He showed the greatest keenness and determination in training himself and his men, and added a fine example for courage and coolness in leading his men in action. Subalterns like him typify the spirit which is required in assault Engineers."

Officer Cadet David Philip Hirsch

Officer Cadet Hirsch, The Green Howards, was born on 24th February 1926, and at Loretto from May 1939 to December 1943. He was in the VI Form and the Athletics Team and a Sergeant in the J.T.C. On leaving School he underwent a course of training, became an Officer Cadet in the Green Howards, and sent to India. There, after doing good service, he fell ill with infantile paralysis and died at Mhow, C.I., on 10th June 1945.