Lt Col W J English VC

Lt Col Wm J English VC

Ulster History Circle - Blue Circle Event

The Ulster History Circle held unveiled a ‘blue circle’ commemorating Lt Col W J English VC at his former home, 16 Kings Road, Belfast on Thursday, 24 June 2004 at 19:30 hrs.  

Mrs Barbara McAnuff unveiling the Blue Circle

The Blue Circle

Gavin Bamford, Linda Carson, Barbara McAnuff & Paul Bamford

Lt Col W J English VC served in 3 major wars – South Africa War (1899 to 1902), 1st World War and the 2nd World War.  He won his Victoria Cross, in his 19th year whilst serving in the South Africa War (1899 to 1902).  Following his 1st World War service and peace time service afterwards, English VC retired to a delightful area of East Belfast – 10 (now 16) Kings Road, Knock, Belfast.  In 1941, English VC died at sea, near Egypt.  He is buried in the Maala Cemetery in Aden.

Parents

William John English, son of Major William English OBE and Marian English was born on 6th October 1882 (according to Army Lists) in Cork, Ireland.  His father was a Quarter Master in the Army Service Corps (ASC).  A brief outline of his service from 1895 to 1917 (based on extracts from ASC Journals) is given in Appendix A attached to this note.

 W J English was educated at Folkestone Grammar School (also known as Harvey Grammar School) from 1894 to 1898 and at Campbell College, Belfast from September 1898 to July 1899.  Sometime after leaving Campbell College he joined the Merchant Navy.  The name of the Shipping Line and the date of joining this service are not known.

References:

• The Harveian, December 1906 (Harvey Grammar School Magazine);

• The Campbell College Register, 1894 to 1999.

Service in the South African War

(1899 to 1902)

In November 1900, W J English left the Merchant Service in South Africa and joined the Scottish Horse on the 25th of that month.  He served 112 days in the ranks of this Regiment.  On 17th March 1901 he was granted a Commission as a Lieutenant in the new Regiment, the 2nd Scottish Horse, which was formed in that month. 

 The formation, operation and disbandment of this Regiment is briefly covered in Appendix B to this note.

On 3rd July 1901, the 2nd Scottish Horse, as part of No 3 Mobile Column, was engaged in the pursuit of some Boers with their cattle in the Vlakfontein region of the Eastern Transvaal.  Colonel Benson, the Commanding Officer of No 3 Mobile Column, on being informed that there was a very large herd of cattle being moved in the direction of Roodekranz, decided to postpone the pursuit until the next day (4th July) and ordered a retirement to camp.  During this operation Major Murray (Commanding Officer of the 2nd Scottish Horse) and Captain Lindsay (the Adjutant) with 25 officers and men of F Squadron became isolated and were subjected to a very heavy attack by a party of 60 Boers for three quarters of an hour.  They were reinforced by E Squadron in the nick of time and the Boers were forced to withdraw.  In this engagement Lieutenant English distinguished himself by holding the right of the position at Elandskloof.

The day after the above action, Major Murray wrote to Colonel Benson recommending Lieutenant English for the award of the Victoria Cross (VC) for his personal pluck at Elandskloof.  Colonel Benson, Brigadier General Spens and Lieutenant General Sir Bindon Blood all endorsed this recommendation.  It was then sent to Army Headquarters, South Africa, and the Commander in Chief, Lord Kitchener, forwarded it together with the recommendations for two other Victoria Cross awards (to an Australian Lieutenant in the Mounted Infantry and a Farrier Sergeant-Major in the 4th New Zealand Regiment) to the Under Secretary of State for War for consideration.  After an exchange of correspondence between Sir Ian Hamilton and Field Marshall Lord Roberts, the award of the three Victoria Crosses was finally granted.

The award of the VC to Lieutenant W J English appeared in the London Gazette of 4th October 1901 and the citation was as follows:

“William John English, Lieutenant, Scottish Horse.

This officer, with five men, was holding the right of the position at Vlakfontein on the 3rd July 1901 during an attack by the Boers.  Two of his men were killed and two wounded but the position was still held largely owing to Lieutenant English’s personal pluck.  When the ammunition ran short he went over to the next party and obtained more; to do this he had to cross some 15 yards of open ground under a heavy fire at a range of from 20 to 30 yards.”

Based on the date of birth of 6th October 1882 (in the Army Lists) Lieutenant English was awarded his Victoria Cross while still in his 19th year and was the youngest individual to receive it in the South Africa War (1899 to 1902).  In fact of the 1,350 VC’s awarded to date, the number of recipients under the age of 19 years is less than 30.  Lieutenant English was the 503rd person to receive the award.  Also, of the 78 recipients of the VC in the South Africa War, only three (including English) saw service in both the 1st and 2nd World Wars.

Lieutenant W J English was released from military service on 31st May 1902, the date on which the surrender document was signed at Vereeniging.  His commissioned service in the 2nd Scottish Horse amounted to 1 year 76 days.  Taken with the 112 days service in the ranks, his total service in the South Africa War (1899 – 1902) was 1 year 188 days.

 Lieutenant English was decorated with his VC by HRH The Prince of Wales (the future King George V) at the inspection of the Colonial Contingents at the Horse Guards’ Parade on 1st July 1902.  The details of Lieutenant English’s Victoria Cross and the Queen’s South Africa Medal (11th October 1899 to 31st May 1902) are given in Appendix C to this note.  He was also awarded the King Edward VII Coronation 1902 Medal (in silver).

References:

• 1922 and 1927 Gradation Lists;

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC;

• Victoria Cross file (Boer War) for Lieutenant W J English (Public Record Office Reference W032-7464);

• Note compiled by Canon W M Lummis;

• Vlakfontein Farm in the Boer War 1899 – 1902 (Chapter VI by Major J D Harris).  The British Measures March 1901 to May 1902 Part II.  Events near Vlakfontein Farm July 1901.

Service in the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)

6th April 1905 to 16th October 1906

Except for the Inspection of the Colonial Contingents at the Horse Guards’ Parade in London on 1st July 1902, nothing is known of W J English’s career in the period of 2 years 309 days between 1st June 1902 and 5th April 1905.

W J English VC enlisted in South Africa as Private 6464 into the Dragoons of the Line, Regular Army on 6th April 1905 and was posted to the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) on the same date.  He was appointed to Lance Corporal on 7th October 1905 and was discharged on 16th October 1906 to be 2nd Lieutenant on 17th October 1906 in the Army Service Corps (London Gazette 16th October 1906).  English’s service in the 2nd Dragoon Guards amounted to a total of 1 year 194 days in the ranks.  No further information on English’s service in this Regiment could be traced.

References:

• 1922 and 1927 Gradation Lists;

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC;

• Note compiled by Canon W M Lummis.

Service in the Army Service Corps prior to 1st World War

17th October 1906 to 4th August 1914

W J English VC was granted a Commission as P/13060 into the Army Service Corps as a 2nd Lieutenant in South Africa on 17th October 1906.  He returned to the UK in October / November 1906 and after home leave he was sent to Woolwich for training followed by a course of instruction at Aldershot.

His first posting was for General Duty in Dublin.  This was a posting of short duration which lasted only four months.  He was next posted for General Duty to South Africa and was away from the UK for 4⅔ years.  After his return and home leave, he was posted for duty to Portsmouth.  This was his last posting before the 1st World War.  His total service up to the 1st World War amounted to 7 years 293 days.

He was promoted to Substantive Lieutenant on 27th October 1907.

Appendix D to this note refers to this period of service.

Reference:       

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC.

Service in the ASC / RASC (*) during the 1st World War

(*)        Royal Army Service Corps

5th August 1914 to 11th November 1918

W J English VC embarked for France on 5th August 1914 and served in France and Belgium from 5th August to 6th December 1914.  On this latter date he returned to the United Kingdom and after 13 days leave (from 6th to 18th December 1914) he remained on UK postings from 19th December 1914 to 30th September 1915.  He embarked for France on the latter date and continued to serve in France and Belgium up to the Armistice on 11th November 1918 and into 1919.

He was promoted to Captain on 5th August 1914 and appointed a Temporary Major on 30th November 1914 (to 30th September 1920). Appendix E to this note refers to his 1st World War service.

Medals:           

• 1914 Star (with ribbon bar 5th August to 22nd November 1914);

• War Medal 1914 to 1920;

• Allied Victory Medal 1914 to 1918.

References:      

• 1927 Gradation List

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC

Service in the Army Service Corps after the 1st World War

12th November 1918 to 27th November 1927

W J English VC continued to serve in France and Belgium from the end of the 1st World War until 30th September 1919 when he returned to the UK for home leave and posting.  He remained in the UK until he embarked for Sierra Leone on 22nd March 1922.  He arrived back in the UK on 29th April 1923.  There is a gap of 169 days between arriving home and his posting to Northern Ireland District on 15th October 1923.

He embarked for Germany on 23rd December 1924 for service with the Army of the Rhine.  It appears from the MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record that the posting to Germany continued up to the time he transferred to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps.

He reverted to Substantive Captain on 30th September 1920.

He was promoted to Substantive Major on 26th November 1924.

Appendix F to this note refers to his service after the 1st World War.

Medals:

• French Order Merite Agricole 4th Class.

References:

• 1923 and 1925 Army Lists;

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC;

Afternoon Garden Party at Buckingham Palace

 26th June 1920

King George V gave an Afternoon Party at Buckingham Palace on 26th June 1920 to recipients of the Victoria Cross.  His Majesty was accompanied by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family.

The Victoria Cross Recipients assembled at Wellington Barracks, and marched to the Garden of the Palace via Birdcage walk, Horse Guards Parade and The Mall preceded by the Band of the Welsh Guards.  The King inspected the VC Recipients, who afterwards filed past His Majesty, and had the honour of being presented to The King and Queen.

Captain William English VC, RASC was present at the Party.  It is not known if any of his relatives were also present.

Service in the Royal Indian Army Service Corps

28th November 1927 to December 1930

W J English transferred to the Royal Indian Army Service Corps and embarked for India on 28th November 1927.  On 27th December 1927 he was posted to No 12 Motor Transport Company.  He served in India until be retired in December 1930.

References:

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC;

• Note compiled by Canon W M Lummis;

• 1928 Gradation List;

Retirement

December 1930 to August 1939

W J English retired in December 1930.  In retirement, he resided at Kings Road, Knock in Belfast.  Before the 2nd World War he was the organiser in Northern Ireland for the National Association for Employment of Regular Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen.  He received the King George VI Coronation 1937 Medal.  This was the first reign in which the Coronation Medal of the Sovereign was awarded automatically to holders of the Victoria Gross.

Appendix G to this note refers to his residential address in Knock, Belfast.

References:

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC;

• Note compiled by Canon W M Lummis.

Service In The Royal Ulster Rifles in the 2nd World War

29th August 1939 to 4th July 1941

In August 1939 a Group of the National Defence Corps was formed in Northern Ireland under the command of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC (Service No 19834).  Recruiting started on 30th August 1939 and by the end of September 541 other ranks were on the strength of the Group.  As soon as the men were clothed, guard duties at vulnerable points and depots were taken over from regular troops.  On 1st November 1939 the Group became the 6th Battalion, The Royal Ulster Rifles.  Despite wastage and postings to other units the strength of this Battalion reached a peak of 1,059 all ranks in August 1940.  The strength fluctuated almost daily and it was down to 864 all ranks by the end of 1940.

On 24th April 1941 W J English relinquished the command of the 6th Battalion in order to take up an appointment in the Middle East (nature of which is unknown).

W J English died at sea (in his 59th year) on 4th July 1941, only 71 days after the relinquishment of his command and was buried in the Maala Cemetery in Aden.  In the circumstances, it looks very much as if he was still en route for his destination when he died.  The cause of death was ‘cerebral haemorrhage’.

Death Certificate

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Headstone

Commonwealth War Graves Commission 

- Grave Registration Report

Commonwealth War Graves Commission 

- Headstone Contract

It will be noted that W J English’s Medal Group (Appendix C) contains the 1939 to 45 Star and the Africa Star.  These were issued officially and are listed in the MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of Lieutenant Colonel W J English VC.  No doubt the fact that his service was curtailed by death was the qualifying factor in this award.  In view of this he must have entered the Middle East operational zone.  Apparently he was ‘OC Troops’ on board the ship transporting him to the Middle East.

Medals:           

• 1939 to 45 Star

• Africa Star

• 1939 to 45 War Medal

References:      

• Regimented History Royal Ulster Rifles by Charles Graves, Volume III, Chapter XIV (pages 191 and 192);

• MOD Defence Records 2b Service Record of W J English VC;

• Note compiled by Canon W M Lummis.

• Death Certificate – Return of Officers Killed in Action or who have died while on Service Abroad between 3rd September 1939 and 30th June 1948 inclusive.

Obituaries:       

• The Times, Friday 11th July 1941;                                

• RASC Journal, October 1941.

Obituary

The Campbellian - Vol. X (December 1941) - pp. 96-98

Introductory note says that he was OC (Officer Commanding) 200th TAA Group, NDC (National Defence Companies), subsequently named 6th (HD - presumably Home Defence) Battalion, RUR.

*****

We regret to have to record the death of Lt Col W J English VC, which took place off the East Coast of Africa under the following circumstances: Against medical advice he was OC of a troopship taking men to the Middle East.  While off the West Coast of Africa the ship was attacked by a dive-bomber and received a certain amount of damage which, among other things, wrecked his cabin and brought on shell-shock.  They landed at Durban for a few days and again the doctors urged him to abandon the trip owing to the state of his health.  He ignored the advice and died at sea some days later.  He was buried at Aden.  To his wife, whom many Campbellians remember as Molly Pyper, daughter of the late Mr. William Pyper, member of the staff at Campbell College (1895-1917), and his family we offer respectful sympathy.

*****

An appreciation sent in by Major T M Morton of 6th (HD) Battalion RUR:

In Sept 1939 the Territorial Army Association in Northern Ireland were ordered by the War Office to raise a Group of National Defence Companies.  Being president of the Old Contemptibles' Association in NI, Major W J English VC was selected to raise and command this new formation.  I was selected as his adjutant and was in a position to know the marvellous work Lt Col English performed.

Old Contemptibles and old soldiers of all sorts flocked to join the colours again - Bill English as their idol.  A few quiet words to a delinquent from him were sufficient to make even the toughest old sweats toe the line.  The trouble was that we were not allowed to recruit more than a small proportion of the men who were so anxious to enlist; we were short of numbers to man the guards which were found at various places in NI, and the resultant arduous duties in the winter of 1939-40 were a sore trial to the men.

Here again Lt Col English was really wonderful in the way he cheered the men along and struggled with higher authority to be allowed to enlist more old soldiers so as to ease the lot of those already so very short of sleep and rest.  He was indefatigable in arranging for all the comfort he could get for his troops, his motto being "The men first, the officers next, and myself last".

In November 1939, the old NDC's were changed into the Home Defence Battalions, our local group becoming 6th Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles, with Lt Col English remaining in command.  Recruiting was again opened and Lt Col English managed the change over to a Battalion organisation smoothly and without a hitch.  He built up this battalion to establishment strength in his own quiet, efficient way, no fireworks, no 'playing to the gallery'.  Under him the battalion carried out valuable duties until in April 1941 the War Office ordered that his battalion be handed over to a younger officer.

This was a real blow to the officers and men who loved him and respected him so much. Lt Col English was offered a military post which he refused to accept as he knew it would mean the retirement of an old friend.  He elected to go off East as OC Troopship, although he had been advised medically that it would be most dangerous for him to go to a hot climate.

Those of us who saw him go were greatly impressed with his light-hearted good humour, just as though he were going off to a pleasant holiday.  Then, a few weeks and we heard the news that we should see him no more; his medical adviser had been right.

I am entirely unworthy to even try to express in words the noble character of Lt Col W J English VC.  He commenced his military career with a deed which won him one of the finest VCs in military annals and ended his career going to meet his death rather than hurt a friend.

The immediate family of W J English VC

 W J English had two sisters and a younger brother, Henry Cecil.  This brother also attended Campbell College, Belfast, from May 1897 to November 1899.  He became the Chief Engineer of the Victoria Falls and Transvaal Power Company.  He died in 1943.

W J English married twice.  His first wife was May Dunne.  She died in 1918.  There were two sons by this marriage:

William Frederick Malcolm was born on 10th July 1908. He attended Campbell College, Belfast from January 1919 to June 1925.  He went out to Johannesburg University, South Africa.  He died at the early age of 25 years on 5th August 1933.

Denis Ormonde was born on 28th February 1915.  He attended Campbell College, Belfast from 5th September 1924 to December 1931.  He was an architect and a member of ARIBA.  He died in his 80th year on 5th June 1994.  Denis married Gwen Malcomson who was the sister of Edith Bamford (Neé Malcomson).  Gavin Bamford (compiler) is Edith’s son.

In 1922 W J English married Mary Isabel Pyper, the daughter of William Pyper who was Master of Elocution and English at Campbell College, Belfast from 1895 to 1917.  William Pyper died on 8th January 1920.

There was a son and a daughter by this marriage:

Patrick John was born on 16th November 1922.  He attended Campbell College, Belfast from September 1936 to December 1940.  He served during the 2nd World War in India and Burma (XIV Army) as a Captain in The Royal Signals.  He was Mentioned in Despatches and died in August 1973.

Barbara was born in 1926.  She married Ronald McAnuff.  Surviving daughter.

Reference:       

• The Campbell College Register, 1894 to 1999

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