during the great war three old boys of the school were awarded the victoria cross, the highest award for military gallantry in britain and many of the british commonwealth countries (see st. bees v.c. winners for more details. old boy alfred critchley became one of the youngest brigadier-generals in the british empire at the age of twenty-seven for his heroic conduct (he was older than roland boys bradford, v.c. but younger than bernard freyberg, v.c.). one hundred and eighty old boys gave their lives during the war, and a special memorial was built overlooking the sports fields where so many had previously played.