George Stuart White

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George Stuart White

Field Marshal Sir George Stuart White VC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, (4 July 1835—24 June 1912) was an officer of the British Army and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces

[edit] Early life

He was born at Rock Castle Portstewart, County Antrim, and was educated at King William's College on the Isle of Man. After graduating from Sandhurst, White was commissioned into the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot and saw service in the Indian Mutiny. He fought in the Second Afghan War in 1879 as second-in-command of the 92nd Regiment of Foot (later The Gordon Highlanders).

[edit] The Victoria Cross

He was 44 years old when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 6 October 1879 at Charasiah, Afghanistan, Major White led an attack on a strongly fortified hill where the enemy force outnumbered the major's by about eight to one. When his men became exhausted and immediate action seemed necessary, he took a rifle and, running forward alone, shot the enemy leader. This decided the issue and the enemy fled. Again, at the battle of Kandahar Major White led the final charge and personally captured one of the two guns held by the enemy, immediately after which the latter retired.

[edit] Later life

The Relief of Ladysmith. Sir George White greets Major Hubert Gough on 28 February, 1900. Painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon (1868-1914).

He became the commanding officer of the 92nd Foot in 1881. White was knighted in 1886 for his military service in Burma, and became Commander-in-Chief, India in 1893. He was commander of the garrison at the Siege of Ladysmith 1899–1900 during the Second Boer War. He became governor of Gibraltar (1900–1904) and was made field marshal in 1903. He died in the Chelsea Hospital , London on 24 June 1912.

His son Jack White became a famous Irish republican and anarchist, broke off from the family (founding the Irish Citizens Army) and opposed most of what Sir George White had stood for.

A statue of White is currently located at Portland Place, London.

[edit] The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum (Aberdeen, Scotland).

[edit] References

Listed in order of publication year

• 1911 Britannica. Accessed 4 November 2005
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
• The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
• Irelands VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)

[edit] See also

• Broughshane, a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the ancestral home of White, where a memorial now stands.

[edit] External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland)

This page has been migrated in part from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.