Son of Ralph Herbert Lawrence and Jetta Marjorie (nee Acutt) Alder, of Elandskop, Natal, South Africa. Hugh Ralph Lawrence Alder was born in Durban in March 1919 and had served briefly in the Transvaal Scottish prior to enlisting in the Union Defence Force in May 1940, aged 21 years. Posted to the South African Air Force, he attended a pilot's training course in Rhodesia between December 1940 and July 1941 and was seconded to the Royal Air Force for service with No. 45 Squadron in the Western Desert between October 1941 and January 1942; and afterwards in Burma between February 1942 and December 1943, where he received advancement to Temporary Major. Returning to employment with the S.A.A.F. in the Mediterranean theatre of war in May 1944, Alder joined No. 12 Squadron, a B-26 unit, and was killed in action over the Montevarchi area, Italy on 13 July 1944, when his aircraft was probably involved in a collision which detonated the bomb load. The South African Air Force at War, by Martin Louw and Stefaan Bouwer contains a photograph of this tragic incident. Commemoration stone in Durban (St. Thomas) Churchyard cemetery