Eminent Dragons

Among the Dragon's old pupils can be found a large number of highly successful men and women, notably:

Writers:

John Betjeman, Nevil Shute, Naomi Mitchison, Antonia Fraser, John Mortimer

Journalists:

Peter Jay, Nicholas Shakespeare, David and Stephen Jessel, Humphrey Carpenter; Chris Lowe, David Shukman

Politicians:

Hugh Gaitskell, Patrick Jenkin, Baroness Young, Timothy Raison

Musicians:

Peter Tranchell, Roger Norrington

Actors:

Hugh Laurie, Christopher Cazenove, Jack Davenport 

Sportsmen:

Cyril Gadney and Ronnie Poulton-Palmer in rugby, the Clay brothers, and more recently Frances Houghton, in rowing, Tim Henman in tennis: a host of Internationals and Blues in many sports

Service Men:

Leonard Cheshire VC, John Smyth VC , Jack Randle VC, William Leefe Robinson VC, Marshal of the Air Force John Slessor, Admiral Sir Hugo White

Looking Back
Before the hymn the Skipper would announce
The latest names of those who'd lost their lives
For King and Country and the Dragon School.
Sometimes his gruff old voice was full of tears
When a particular favourite had been killed.
Then we would hear the nickname of the boy,
'Pongo' or 'Podge', and how he'd played 3Q
For Oxford and, if only he had lived,
He might have played for England - which he did
But in a grimmer game against the Hun.
And then we'd all look solemn, knowing well
there'd be no extra holiday today.

John Betjeman OD