Born on 26th June 1875 in London Major Maidlow was killed in action in Belgium 23rd August 1914, aged 39.

He was the son of John Mott Maidlow (1839-1893), Barrister-at-law, who took his double first at Oxford. His mother was Hannah Shirley Maidlow (nee Southern, 1849-1913). He had an elder brother, James Francis (1878-1961), and two older sisters, Dorothy Ellen (1877-1944) and Mary Daphne (1883-1971). He married Amy Caroline Aylmer (1878-1945) in 1900 and resided in Pinner, Middlesex. They had a son, John Lugard Maidlow (1901-1983). 1911 – (Captain) Officer now serving who is qualified in a course of instruction at the London School of Economics (1901). Employed with Defence Forces, Dominion of New Zealand.

John joined Saint Ronan’s in January 1888. On his first sports day he came second in both the Long Jump and the High Jump. That school year he also won a swimming prize (a tennis racket), a Maths and a Classical prize. In the October half term exams he came second in the whole school with a score of 697 out of 1,250.

During the 1889 cricket season he was described as “A good bowler-killer, by dint of solid blocking. Fairly good in his place as longstop.”

In 1889 he applied for an open scholarship to St Paul’s, which he got and left in July of that year. He left St Paul’s in July 1892.

In 1893 he passed into Woolwich and The Ronian reported: “this “old boy” represents our first Woolwich Cadet”. At both St Paul’s and Woolwich he did very well both in literary work and sports, especially riding.

In November 1897, John married Amy Caroline Aylmer, daughter of Colonel Lugard, Madras Staff Corps, and niece of Sir Edward and of Sir Frederick Lugard. K.C.S.I.

He revisited Saint Ronan’s during the 1889 Autumn half term and again in the Spring of 1890 and in 1894. In 1901, the School received a letter from John announcing that he had got married. His son, John, started at Saint Ronan’s in 1911.

John joined the Royal Artillery as Second Lieutenant in June 1895. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 15th June 1898 and subsequently to Captain on 7th May 1901. He served in Egypt and India, where he was on the Staff of the Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal as A.D.C. from November 1903 to October 1906, and afterwards as Military Secretary, being a great favourite with all.

In 1911 he is recorded as having attended a training course for Army officers which ran annually at the London School of Economics from 1906. He was in the Army Class of 1911.

From September 1911, Captain Maidlow spent three years in New Zealand, as Assistant Director of Artlilery, in the New Zealand Army Department. He was responsible for the training of the Artillery, he was conspicuous for his good work, and was very popular there.

He was promoted to Major on 15th February 1912. He was also later the Commander of the Company of Cadets at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, until January 1914.

When the War broke out, Major Maidlow at once offered himself for what was his first experience of active service, and, being accepted, took his battery to France, and was in the first battle of the campaign at Mons.

On 23rd August 1914, on the first day he was there, he was riding forward to take up a new position for his guns when he was shot in the head, and without recovering consciousness was carried to a hospital, the Gendebien Chateau near Mons. Despite having Red Cross flags hung from windows and upon the roof, the hospital was shelled and set on fire. All the casulaties were evacuated into the surrounding woods, although the wounded commander of 49th Batttery, Major Maidlow died in the ruins. His remains were recovered, and he was buried in the communal cemetary.

The Ronian recorded his death thus, “He was killed at Mons just before the great retreat, and was one of those who played such a wonderful part in the early stages of the war.”

Major Maidlow was a fine sportsman, and did much big-game shooting in India, securing some record heads of bison and sambur. He was also keen on pig-sticking, was a very good polo player and a first-rate swimmer, was a success- ful rider, and, being a lightweight, rode in many races.

His brother, James, also served and survived the War. He was a Lieutenant in the Lincolnshire Regiment.

Major Maidlow’s son, John, was thirteen at the time of his father’s death and a pupil at Saint Ronan’s.