William Johnstone Milne
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William Johnstone Milne (December 21, 1892- April 9, 1917), was a Canadian soldier in World War I who posthumously received the Victoria Cross for the highest gallantry against the enemy during action in France on 9 April 1917.
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[edit] Details
One of the four soldiers that earned the Victoria Cross in the Battle of Vimy Ridge, (the others were Thain Wendell MacDowell, Ellis Wellwood Sifton and John George Pattison), Milne was 24 years old, and a private in the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. On 9 April 1917 near Thelus, France, Milne saw an enemy machine-gun firing upon fellow troops. Crawling on hands and knees he managed to reach the gun, kill the crew, and capture the gun. Milne later repeated this action against a second enemy machine-gun crew, but was killed shortly afterwards.
[edit] Further information
Since Milne was born in Scotland he is also considered Scottish.
[edit] The medal
Milne's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
[edit] See also
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
[edit] External links
- News Item (Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) regimental museum VC exhibition)
- WILLIAM JOHNSTONE MILNE (service/personal details, photographs, citation, relevant documents, burial information)
- Legion Magazine Article on William Johnstone Milne
- Find-A-Grave profile for William Johnstone Milne
