One of the many benefits of the OS Club is the opportunity to meet remarkable people and hear their stories of life and work. In July we visited Major General Jonathan Shaw – a twinkly eyed man with a sharp wit. In the serenity of his garden, he told us about his career at the heart of military operations.
Commissioned into the Parachute Regiment in 1981, he served in several operational roles, including deployments to Northern Ireland, the Falklands, and the Balkans. He later commanded the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, where he had the “fantastic experience” of leading 600 paratroopers. Respected for his resilience in high-pressure environments, Jonathan was appointed Director of Special Forces in 2003, taking charge of counter-terrorism at the Ministry of Defence during a time of national crisis that included the fuel protests, the foot and mouth outbreak and the aftermath of 9/11. A revered figure in the military, he held many high-profile positions, culminating in his appointment as the British Army’s first Head of the Defence Cyber Security Programme in 2011.
Watch our interview with Major General Jonathan Shaw to hear his story — including:
Finding happiness in the hills of Sedbergh
Why the School sets you up for life in a multiplicity of ways
Key advice for current pupils
A charming journal, documenting the exploits and adventures of seven ‘new’ boys who joined Sedbergh School in 1945 and became firm friends, has been digitised and published so it can be shared with a wider audience.
The brown leather book embossed with the title ‘We Are Seven’ describes the group’s explorations and achievements over a period of five years, and is illustrated with many striking black and white photos.
The first outing was to Turshaw Spout, a high waterfall on Holme Fell. The adventures chronicled over the next five years include the discovery of further waterfalls, bathing pools and caves, as well as the numerous camps ‘The Big Seven’ made among the fells. Touchingly, the pupils also take pride in recognising and celebrating one another’s individual achievements in sport, academics and societies.
School Archivist Katy de la Rivière picks up the story:
‘This album is one of my favourite items in the archive. Our collection includes many wonderful photograph albums that have been created by past pupils and staff, but this volume is truly unique, recording photos of the boys’ adventures alongside first hand prose accounts of life at School in the post war years. The writings record the warmth of the relationship between the boys in a manner that is tremendously special. The gruff shyness of teenage boys is nowhere to be found, instead a sweet ‘Swallows and Amazon’s’ quality pervades the writings, although without the implied peril. It has been a great pleasure during my time at Sedbergh to meet the surviving members of the ‘Seven’, and some of the descendants of others. Development Office Researcher, Emily Rowe Rawlence’s work to digitise the album has allowed us to share the album widely and it has already travelled the globe in digital form, being enjoyed by the children and grandchildren of the boys featured in its 140 pages.’
The journal finishes with the following epilogue:
“It is our hope that these Annals will reveal to their reader some of the happiness and pleasure which we seven found in our schooldays.
That happiness and joie de vivre was due in no small measure to the kind indulgence of our Housemaster on the one hand, and the Sedberghian way of life on the other.
These two factors combined to show us the opportunity we had of making the most of our mutual friendship. We took that opportunity with seven pairs of hands, and exploited it to the full in the study, on the playing field, and among the fells.”
Their explorations may have taken place seventy years ago – in a different era – but the spirit of adventure, ambition and kindness remain very much alive in the School today.
Members of ‘The Big Seven’ were:
David Byrd, Rodney Dodds, Ian Gardner, David MacInnes, John ‘Giles’ Shaw, Alan Spinney, Archibald Turnbull.
Explore the digitised version of ‘We Are Seven’ below:
Guest article written by Development Office Researcher, Emily Rowe Rawlence who earlier this year scanned and formatted the ‘We Are Seven’ album to make it available to a wider audience.
After leaving Sedbergh, former Roger Lupton Scholar, Oliver, graduated with a BA (Hons) Degree in Performing Arts at the remarkably young age of 19. While working in the television industry and appearing in acclaimed series such as Star Wars: Andor and House of the Dragon, he was invited to audition for a new boy band and television series based in South Korea. This involved an intensive 100-day training programme with the renowned SM Entertainment.
The audition process took place across the UK, and Oliver was selected as one of the final five members. The journey was documented in a full television series titled Made in Korea, which aired on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and was later broadcast internationally. The show followed the boys’ training and daily lives as SM trainees.
Since then, the new boy band, dearALICE, has performed their debut track, Ariana, live on Strictly Come Dancing, as well as on numerous other prime-time morning and evening television programmes.
Most recently, on 28th June 2025, they performed the UK leg of their tour at the O2 Arena in London, as part of the SM Live World Tour 2025, which has already seen them perform in South Korea, Los Angeles, and Mexico.
On 27th June 2025, dearALICE released their debut EP, Bitter Sweet Summer, featuring their new single Save Us, a stunning ballad led by Reese and Oliver. You can listen to it on YouTube via the link below:
https://youtu.be/4mic217bP-g
Since the 2014–2018 Old Sedberghian Club Pilgrimage three more Sedberghian World War One casualties have been identified. The School Chaplain, the Revd Paul Sweeting, has played an important role in ensuring that these men are remembered here at Sedbergh. In the summer he and his wife visited the grave of one, later returning with pupils. Paul has coordinated the adding of the names to the Cloisters, work which is planned for before our Remembrance Service this November, and has instigated the addition of the missing names of the men to the Book of Remembrance in Chapel.
The Book was a gift from Major General Michael Walsh, (SH 1941-44) and includes the names of the 460 Sedberghian casualties known to have died in the First and Second World wars. The calligraphy artist who created the original book was Terry Johnson. Earlier this year Terry, having been tracked down by Paul, undertook work to add the new casualty names to the original book. Terry’s skillful craftsmanship ensured that the latest additions match the style of the original text.
The casualties added to the Book of Remembrance are:
Captain James Fisher, Lupton House (1910-11), King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, died 23.02.1919 in England of injury suffered during the War.
Examiner Humphrey. M. Thompson, Sedgwick House (1906-09), Aeroplane Investigation Department, died 28.10.1918 in England from illness contracted on service.
Rifleman George Windram, Sedgwick House (1895-98). Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade, died 12.09.1918 in France having been killed in action.
Due to the fog of war and having lost touch with many Old Sedberghians who were fighting in the conflict, the contemporary Sedberghian magazines did not record the death of all Sedberghian casualties. Over 100 years later information of some Sedberghians who lost their lives is only just becoming known to the School. It is possible that there are more Sedberghian casualties whom the School and Old Sedberghian Club are not currently aware. Any information about potential missing casualties is warmly welcomed.
This September the Old Sedberghian Club will host a trip to the Netherlands and Belgium to remember those Sedberghians who fought and died in the region. Five Old Sedberghians were directly involved in the Battle of Arnhem. Two did not return home. A further 13 Sedberghians died as a result of fighting in the Netherlands during World War Two.
Sedbergh contemporaries Lieutenant John Horsley (S 1933 – 1938) 1st Airborne Battalion Border Regiment, and Lieutenant Reginald Bryan Woods 2nd Battalion Parachute Regiment (L 1933 – 1937) died within a fortnight of each other following their involvement in Operation Market Garden. Horsley died on the final day of the operation from wounds sustained while leading his troops out of Arnhem. Woods sustained wounds during the initial incursion in Arnhem and died as prisoner of war in Germany days later. The History Society trip in September includes a visit to Oosterbeek War Cemetery to pay tribute to Horsley at his grave.
Of those Sedberghians who fought at Arnhem and survived the conflict, Ingram Cleasby (L 1934 – 38) fought with the Border Regiment, and having been captured was held by the German forces as a Prisoner of War at Oflag IXA/H Spangenberg alongside fellow officers including Bruce Shand, father of Her Majesty Queen Camilla. Martin Mackay (S 1937 – 1941) was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his involvement in the campaign at Arnhem. A former member of staff also dropped with the airborne forces at Arnhem.
The trip will have particular resonance for several members of the party. Former COO of Sedbergh School, Peter Marshall’s own father fought at Arnhem with the allies. Development Director Jan van der Velde’s mother was a Dutch nurse who found herself close to fighting at the Rijnbrug (Rhine Bridge) during Operation Market Garden and was evacuated to safety.
The trip that takes place between Wednesday 3rd September and Monday 8th September will visit Joe’s Bridge, Overloon War Museum in Nijmegen, the Airborne War Cemetery in Arnhem and the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces in Brussels, and will include walking tours of Nijmegen, Arnhem and Brussels. After completing the tour of Arnhem, the party will join up with the School Battlefields trip to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Sedbergh School in Ypres. There will be performances by the School Choir at St Martin’s Cathedral in Ypres and a special performance of the Last Post at the Menin Gate. The party will be joined by Dr Bruce Cherry whose knowledge of First World War campaigns made the Pilgrimage tours such a success.
