resolution which formed the keynote in his character. I remember
too, a long conversation I had with him while he was going to bed in
the Sanatorium where he had obtained temporary hospitality during
a visit to Sherborne shortly after he had left. He was describing
to me his manner of life in London and I remember the details to
this day. His working day consisted then of full hours at the Bank,
morning and afternoon, training for his future career in the Hong
Kong and Shanghai Bank, home to supper at about 7, then three
hours slogging in preparation for his banking examination, bed at
12.30 and up again at 7, next morning. He took one evening off a
week and spent this regularly lending a hand at Sherborne House,
Southwark, where his assistance, as I was told at the time, and
have since heard from many sources, was absolutely invaluable. I
expostulated with him, I remember, for a long time telling him that
it was too much and that he could not keep up this pressure for
long, but he laughed it off and assured me that I need not worry.
He had been down two or three times since the outbreak of war as
a subaltern in the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, and
very glad indeed everyone was to see him. Shortly after he wrote
and told me that he was going to be married and then a year after he
wrote to say that his wife had presented him with a son and ‘would
I please enter him for School.’ I forget how old the boy was at this
time, I think perhaps two or three days. Such was the boy who was
destined to bring to his old School the great honour of having gained
the rst Shirburnian VC in the war. No one who knew him here will
be in the least surprised; indeed, it is just what one would expect
from such a resolute and high principled man as Jack Grayburn.
My great regret now is that ‘P.J.’ is no longer with us to write as he
alone could have written a full account of this boy when he was at
Sherborne. Let me just add as the School’s representative a word,
however inadequate to express to all his relatives and friends the
pride which we all feel in reading of his gallant exploits at Arnhem.
We shall see, too, that his memory is kept ever green, and that
his young son when the time comes for him to follow his father at
Sherborne will nd that the School is neither forgetful nor ungrateful.
Requiescat in pace.’
Alexander Ross Wallace (Headmaster at Sherborne School 1934-
1950).