West of White Park

THE REV WILLIAM JAMES WEST OWNED 2,061 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY TYRONE

GEORGE WEST, of Blessington, County Wicklow, died in 1716, leaving by his wife Jane, with other issue, a son,

JACOB WEST, of Quinsborough, County Wicklow, and Hutton Read, County Kildare, baptized at Blessington, 1703, who married Mary, daughter of Matthew Pretious, of Quinsborough and Purefoy's Place (Clonbollogue), County Kildare, and had issue,

Pretious, settled in London;
John, of Dublin;
MATTHEW, of whom presently.

The youngest son,

MATTHEW WEST (1747-1806), wedded, in 1770, Mary Ann, daughter of Thomas Roan, of Kildare, and had issue,

Jacob West, of Loughlinstown House, Co Dublin;
MATTHEW, of whom presently;
James Lyster, of Fort William, Co Roscommon;
Rebecca.

The second son,

MATTHEW WEST (1777-1820), of Ederney, County Fermanagh, and Harcourt Street, Dublin, Lord Mayor of Dublin, 1821, High Sheriff of Dublin City, 1810, espoused, in 1802, Maria Louisa, younger daughter of Jean Jasper Joly, of Charlemont Place, County Dublin, and Carton, County Kildare, and had issue,

Charles Matthew (1803-23);
Henry Jasper (1804-29);
WILLIAM JAMES, of whom presently;
Augustus William (Very Rev), Dean of Ardagh;
George White, of Ardenode;
Maria Louisa; Emily Matilda.

The third son,

THE REV WILLIAM JAMES WEST (1809-59), of Harcourt Street, Dublin, Ederney, County Fermanagh, Balix and Legcloghfin, County Tyrone, Rector of Delgany, County Wicklow, married, in 1838, Elmina, daughter and co-heir of Alexander Erskine, of Balhall, Forfarshire, and Longhaven, Aberdeenshire, and had issue,

William Alexander Erskine WEST-ERSKINE, of Ederney, and Hindmarsh Island, Australia;
AUGUSTUS GEORGE, of whom we treat;
Henry Matthew (Rev);
Alexander, of Balhall;
Frederick John, of Glenelg, S Australia;
Arthur FitzGerald, died in infancy;
Alfred Edward;
Elmina Eliza; Amelia Louisa (Nina).

The second son,

AUGUSTUS GEORGE WEST (1841-1911), of White Park, near Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, and of Balix and Legcloghfin, County Tyrone, Lieutenant, 76th Regiment, wedded, in 1867, Sara (of White Park), fourth daughter of the Rev Canon Richard Booth Eyre, of Eyre Court, County Galway, and had issue,

ERSKINE EYRE, his heir;
Augustus William, of Leixlip House, Co Kildare;
Dudley Alexander, of Salisbury, Rhodesia;
Richard Annesley, VC DSO MC;
Adeline Elizabeth; Sara Elmina Erskine; Georgiana Geraldine de Blaisy.

The eldest son,

ERSKINE EYRE WEST (1868-1950), Barrister, of the King's Inns, Dublin, Captain, Londonderry Royal Garrison Artillery, espoused, in 1899, Annette Eileen Maude, elder daughter of Cuthbert Henry Cooke Huddart, of Shoyswell Manor, Etchingham, East Sussex, and Brynkir, Carnarvonshire, and had issue

AUGUSTUS CUTHBERT ERSKINE (1900-68), married with issue;
Dudley Somerset Erskine, b 1904.

I am seeking images and information about White Park, near Brookeborough, County Fermanagh.

First published in October, 2019. West arms courtesy of the NLI.

Slaghtfreedan Lodge

MRS LOUISA ELIZABETH DE BILLE (née DOMVILE) WAS A MAJOR LANDOWNER IN COUNTY TYRONE, WITH 12,680 ACRES

The pedigree of the family of DOMVILE was placed on record in Ulster King of Arms' office, during the reign of GEORGE III. There were two branches in Cheshire, the elder seated at Oxton from the period of the Conquest to its termination in females, who carried the estate through the families of Troutbeck and Hulse into that of the Earls of Shrewsbury.

The younger, of Lymm Hall, of which

GILBERT DOMVILE (1583-1637), second son of William Domvile, of Lymm Hall, who removed into Ireland in the beginning of the reign of JAMES I and was Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper there, and MP for County Kildare, 1613-15, having for his colleague the ancestor of the Wellesley family.

He was buried in the Choir of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.


Mr Domvile wedded Margaret, daughter of the Most Rev Thomas Jones, Lord Archbishop of Dublin, LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, and was father of 

THE RT HON SIR WILLIAM DOMVILE (1609-89), Attorney-General for Ireland, 1660-86, MP for Dublin City, 1661, Privy Counsellor, Speaker of the General Convention of Ireland at the Restoration.

Sir William espoused Bridget, daughter of Sir Thomas Lake, of Cannons, Middlesex, secretary of state to JAMES I, and had issue, William (Sir), MP for Dublin; and

THOMAS DOMVILE (c1655-1721), of Templeogue, Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper, MP for Mullingar, 1692-3, who was created a baronet in 1686, designated of Templeogue, County Dublin.

He married firstly, the daughter of his cousin, Sir Launcelot Lake, by whom he had a daughter, wedded to Barry, 3rd Lord Santry; and secondly, the Hon Miss Cole, daughter of Arthur, Lord Ranelagh, but had no issue.

Sir Thomas married thirdly, Anne, daughter of the Hon Sir Charles Compton, second son of Spencer, 2nd Earl of Northampton, and had issue,

COMPTON, his successor;
Elizabeth, mother of CHARLES POCKLINGTON.

Sir Thomas was succeeded by his son,

THE RT HON SIR COMPTON DOMVILE, 2nd Baronet (1696-1768), Clerk of the Crown and Hanaper, Privy Counsellor, MP for County Dublin, 1727-68.

At the decease of this gentleman, the baronetcy expired, and his estates devolved upon his nephew,

CHARLES POCKLINGTON (1740-1810), MP for County Dublin, 1768, who assumed, pursuant to the will of his uncle, the surname and arms of DOMVILE only.

He wedded Margaret, daughter of ____ Sheppard, and had issue,

COMPTON, created a baronet;
Henry Barry, in holy orders;
William, in holy orders;
Christopher;
Elizabeth; Margaret; Anna Maria; Caroline; Louisa; Mary; Bridget.

The eldest son,

(SIR) COMPTON DOMVILE (c1775-1857), of Templeogue and Santry House, both in County Dublin, wedded firstly, in 1811, Elizabeth Frances, daughter of the Hon and Rt Rev Charles Lindsay, Lord Bishop of Kildare, and cousin of the Earl of Balcarres, and had issue,

COMPTON CHARLES, 1812-52.

Mr Domvile was created a baronet in 1815, designated of Templeogue and Santry House, County Dublin.

He married secondly, in 1815, Helena Sarah, daughter of Michael Frederick Trench, of Heywood, Queen's County, and had further issue,

Frederick Compton Henry, 1821-28;
CHARLES COMPTON WILLIAM, 2nd Baronet;
WILLIAM COMPTON, 3rd Baronet;
Anna Helena.  

Sir Compton's second son,

SIR CHARLES COMPTON WILLIAM DOMVILE, 2nd Baronet (1822-84), wedded, in 1861, the Lady Margaret Frances, daughter of Thomas, 3rd Earl of Howth.

He died without issue, when the baronetcy devolved upon his brother,

SIR WILLIAM COMPTON DOMVILE, 3rd Baronet (1825-84), JP DL, who espoused, in 1854, Caroline, daughter of General the Hon Robert Meade, and had issue,

COMPTON MEADE DOMVILE, his heir;
Mary Adelaide; Helena Maud; Evelyn Caroline.

Sir William's only son,

SIR COMPTON MEADE DOMVILE, 4th Baronet (1857-1935), died unmarried, when the baronetcy expired. 

His eldest sister,

MARY ADELAIDE POË (1855-1929), of Heywood, Queen's County, Slaghtfreedan, County Tyrone, and Ashburton House, Roehampton, married, in 1886, COLONEL WILLIAM HUTCHESON POË CB JP DL, Royal Marines, High Sheriff, 1891, third son of William Thomas Poë, of Curraghmore, County Tipperary, and had issue, HUGO COMPTON POE, born in 1889.

It is presumed that Slaghtfreedan Lodge was sold to the Sinton family thereafter.

Sir William Hutcheson Poë, 1st Baronet, of Heywood, Ballinakill, Queen's County, and Slaghtfreedan Lodge, County Tyrone, was the last Lord-Lieutenant of Queen's County (now Laois), from 1920 until 1922.

JOHN ALEXANDER SINTON VC OBE JP DL (see below) retired from military service in 1938 with the rank of brigadier and he settled in County Tyrone, where he occupied at various times the roles of Justice of the Peace, Deputy Lieutenant of the county, High Sheriff for Tyrone, Queen's University Pro-Chancellor and president of the Cookstown branch of the Royal British Legion.

Following his death in 1956, aged 72, Brigadier Sinton was buried with full military honours at Claggan Cemetery. 

The owner in 1872 was a Mrs Louisa Elizabeth de Bille (nee Domvile), widow of Torben de Bille, Danish Minister at the Court of St James.

Slaghtfreedan

Intriguingly, there is a plaque in All Saints Church, Ballinakill, County Laois, Ireland, which reads,

The origin and history of All Saints Church is spelt out in a plaque in the Church which reads; In affectionate remembrance of Louisa Elizabeth-de-Bille, daughter of Sir Compton Domville Bart, and widow of Torben de Bille, late Danish Minister at the Court of St. James, who died March 26, 1888 aged 91 years. Erected by her niece Mary Adelaide Poe. 

More recently, Brigadier John Alexander Sinton VC OBE JP DL, died at his home, Slaghtfreedan Lodge, in 1956.

Slaghtfreedan

The entry in the London Gazette reads as follows:

War Office, 21st June, 1916.

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer and Man:-

Captain John Alexander Sinton MB, Indian Medical Service

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Although shot through both arms and through the side, he refused to go to hospital, and remained as long as day-light lasted, attending to his duties under very heavy fire.

In three previous actions Captain Sinton displayed the utmost bravery.

(Image: © Army Medical Services Museum)

His Victoria Cross is located at the Army Medical Services Museum, Aldershot, England. 

First published in December, 2009.

The Hon Barry Bingham VC OBE

IN COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF JUTLAND, 31ST MAY-1ST JUNE, 1916

REAR-ADMIRAL THE HON EDWARD BARRY STEWART BINGHAM VC OBE

The Hon Edward Barry Stewart Bingham (1881-1939), of Bangor Castle, County Down, third son of John, 5th Baron Clanmorris JP DL, ADC to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and Matilda Catherine, daughter of Robert Edward Ward JP DL, of Bangor Castle.

This is a branch of the noble house of BINGHAM, Earls of Lucan.

The Hon Barry Bingham joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman, after school at Arnold House, Llanddulas, Carnarvonshire; and a spell on HMS Britannia, a permanently-moored training ship at Dartmouth, Devon.

He was commissioned Lieutenant RN and served a year (1904-5) on HMS Cormorant based at Gibraltar; then was given his own command, of the torpedo boat destroyer HMS Star.

In 1915, Bingham was promoted Commander RN, and given HMS Hornet, a destroyer.

Clanmorris arms

In May, 1916, during the Battle of Jutland, Commander Bingham commanded a destroyer division.

He led his division in their attack, first on enemy destroyers and then on the battle cruisers of the German High Seas Fleet.

Once the enemy was sighted Bingham ordered his own destroyer, HMS Nestor, and the one remaining destroyer of his division, HMS Nicator, to close to within 3,000 yards of the opposing battle fleet so that he could bring his torpedoes to bear.

While making this attack, Nestor and Nicator were under concentrated fire of the secondary batteries of the German fleet and Nestor was subsequently sunk.

For his actions, Commander Bingham earned the Victoria Cross, one of relatively few awarded for naval bravery during the 1st World War

The citation reads:

For the extremely gallant way in which he led his division in their attack, first on enemy destroyers and then on their battlecruisers.

He finally sighted the enemy battle-fleet, and, followed by the one remaining destroyer of his division (Nicator), with dauntless courage he closed to within 3,000 yards of the enemy in order to attain a favourable position for firing the torpedoes.

While making this attack, Nestor and Nicator were under concentrated fire of the secondary batteries of the High Sea Fleet. Nestor was subsequently sunk.

Bingham was picked up by the Germans at Jutland, and remained a prisoner of war (latterly at Holzminden) until the Armistice.

After the war, he stayed in the Royal Navy, was promoted several times and retired in 1932 with the rank of Rear-Admiral, having for a year held the position of Senior Officer of the Reserve Fleet, Devonport.

He had several commands, including HMS Resolution, in the Mediterranean.

Admiral Bingham served as Chief of Staff in the Nore Command, 1927-9, and was appointed ADC to GEORGE V.

Outside the Navy, he interests were equestrian; he was a keen jockey and polo player.

In addition to his VC, Bingham was also awarded the OBE and was mentioned in dispatches.

He was also awarded the (Tsarist) Russian Order of St Stanislaus.

He published a memoir of his naval career in 1919, notable for his description of the worst part of naval life being, not nearly being blown to pieces in battle, nor the nervous hours and minutes before battle; it was the ordeal, in that pre-diesel age, of coaling.

Bingham had, in 1915, married Vera Temple-Patterson; this was dissolved in 1937 though they had a son and a daughter.

His nephew, the 7th Baron Clanmorris, was a successful novelist, as John Bingham, whose daughter Charlotte in turn would follow in these of her father's footsteps.

Some maintain that his espionage activity during the 2nd World War provided a model for the fictional writings of John le Carré, the successful English writer of spy fiction.

Admiral Bingham, who latterly resided at Evershot, Dorset, died in London.

First published in May, 2013.

The Ross Memoirs: II

SIR JOHN ROSS (1853-1935), THE LAST LORD CHANCELLOR OF IRELAND, WROTE 

RANDOM REMINISCENCES IN 1924, IN A BOOK ENTITLED THE YEARS OF MY PILGRIMGE

NORTH IRISH HORSE

The first mobilized squadron of the North Irish Horse sailed in the transport Architect to Havre on the 17th August, 1914.

Among the officer were Major Lord Cole, afterwards Earl of Enniskillen, Captain Sir Emerson Herdman, Lord Jocelyn, later Earl of Roden, Lieutenants David Kerr, T Hughes, and Ronald Ross.

Lieutenant-Colonel Ronald Ross MC

Another squadron followed shortly afterwards commanded by Major Lord Massereene, and included R A West, who obtained a VC, but was killed subsequently.

Several ex-service officers managed to get out with them, such as Major Barry, RHA (son of my old friend Lord Justice Barry), who did great service.

A heroic youth, Kenneth Greer, son of T M Greer DL, County Antrim, also contrived to embark with them, who was destined to fall while serving in the Irish Guards, after he had done deeds of reckless courage in France.

I do not propose to narrate the history of this contingent, although afterwards, with Ronald [2nd Baronet] I visited the line of the great retreat of the Old Contemptibles from Mons, and nearly all the battlefields on which he had been engaged.

Sir Ronald Ross Bt MC

He went through the whole war to the end; was awarded the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre, and was an infantry brigade major, serving with the 36th (Ulster) Division at the time of the Armistice.

James Joseph Magennis VC

LEADING SEAMAN JAMES JOSEPH MAGENNIS VC

James Joseph McGinnes (later spelled Magennis) was born on 27 October, 1919, at 4 Majorca Street, Belfast.

He was the only Northern Irishman to be awarded the Victoria Cross, Britain’s highest award ‘for valour in the face of the enemy’, during the second World War.

He attended St Finian’s primary School on the Falls Road in West Belfast until 3rd June, 1935, when he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a boy seaman.

Majorca Street, Belfast. Click to Enlarge

He served on several different warships including HMS Kandahar which struck a mine off the coast of Tripoli, Libya, in December 1941 and was irreparably damaged and scuttled.

In 1942 Magennis was drafted into the Submarine service, and in March, 1943, he volunteered for “special and hazardous duties” which meant serving in midget submarines known as X-craft, about 50-feet long and weighing about 130 tons, with a crew of 4 men.

He trained as a diver and in September, 1943, took part in the first major use of X-craft during Operation Source, penetrating Kafjord, Norway, and disabling the German battleship Tirpitz.

He and the other crewmen of the two midget submarines which took part in the attack were Mentioned in Despatches “for bravery and devotion to duty.”

In July 1945, as Allied forces moved to recover Singapore from the Japanese, Acting Leading Seaman Magennis was serving as the diver on the midget submarine HMS XE3 which was tasked, under the codename Operation Struggle, with sinking the 10,000-ton Japanese cruiser Takao.

She had been damaged in the Battle of the Phillipines in 1944, had limped to Singapore and was berthed in the Straits of Johor, between Malaysia and Singapore , as an anti-aircraft battery.

On 30th July, 1945, XE3 was towed to the operational area by the submarine Stygian.

She slipped her tow at 23:00 and made a 40-mile journey through minefields, hazardous wrecks and hydrophone listening posts to reach the Takao, arriving at 1300 on 31 July.

XE3’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Ian Frazer, placed his craft directly under the keel of Takao with only one-foot of head-room.

Magennis exited from the ‘wet and dry’ chamber with great difficulty because of the restricted space and detached 6 limpet mines (so-called because their magnets were intended to make them stick to the hull of their targets like limpets to a rock) from the limpet carriers on one side of the submarine.

He then found that barnacles on Takao’s hull prevented the mines from getting a proper magnetic grip on the hull and he had to scrape off barnacles with his knife to make room for each of the mines.

He also tied the mines in pairs and placed one of the pair on each side of the keel spread along 45-feet of the cruiser’s hull.

All this time, his ‘frogman’ breathing apparatus was leaking air and sending a tell-tale stream of bubbles to the surface.

In the meantime, the Takao had slowly settled with the tide and XE3 was trapped under her bilge keel.

After much thrashing of the motor and pumping water, XE3 freed herself.

On Magennis’s return to XE3, the crew used hand wheels to drop the two side-cargoes off the midget submarine, one full of two tons of high explosive and the other the now flooded empty limpet carriers.

The explosive cargo dropped away but one of the limpet carriers was stuck to the hull.

Magennis, although exhausted, immediately volunteered to free this limpet carrier, saying “I’ll be alright as soon as I’ve got my wind, Sir.”

He put on his breathing apparatus again, exited the submarine and released the limpet-carrier by hand after seven minutes work with a heavy spanner.

On his return, XE3 started the 40-mile return journey back to HMS Stygian.

At 21:30, some, but not all, of the limpet mines exploded and blew a 23 feet by 10 feet hole in the starboard side of Takao’s hull.

Her keel buckled, the blast disabled her gun turrets and damaged her rangefinder but she did not sink.

Magennis Memorial, Belfast City Hall

On 13th November, 1945, a citation was published in the London Gazette that “the King has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross for valour to Acting Leading Seaman James Joseph Magennis”.

The detailed citation recited the difficulties he had faced and observed that “a lesser man would have been content to place a few limpets and then to return”. It concluded that “Magennis displayed very great courage and devotion to duty and complete disregard for his own safety”.

The Commanding Officer of XE3, Lieutenant Frazer, who was also awarded a VC for his part in the attack, was reported as saying that “Jim gave me bother from time to time. He liked his tot of rum but he was a lovely man and a fine diver. I have never met a braver man.”

James Magennis left the Royal Navy in 1949 and returned to live in Belfast.

LS Magennis presented with a Cheque by the Rt Hon Sir Crawford McCullagh Bt,
Lord Mayor of Belfast, on 19th January, 1946

A public collection was held for him called a Shilling Fund (a shilling was one-twentieth of a £, 12 old pence, 5 new pence) which raised £3,600 [about £121,000 in today's money].

He left Belfast in 1955 when he moved to Yorkshire, where he worked as an electrician.

He died on 11th February, 1986, hours before his heroism was honoured by the Royal Navy Philatelic Office with a first-day cover.

Click to Enlarge

There are memorial plaques to him in Belfast and in Bradford.

A six-foot high memorial statue, made of Portland Stone and bronze, was placed outside Belfast City Hall in October 1999.

His Victoria Cross has been on display in the Ashcroft Gallery of the Imperial War Museum, London, since 2010.

James Bell Crichton VC

James Bell Crichton (1879-1961) was born at Carrickfergus, County Antrim, though grew up in the hamlet of Northrigg, near Blackridge, West Lothian.

He served with the Cameron Highlanders during the South African (Boer) War before moving to New Zealand.

Enlisting at the outbreak of the 1st World War, he served as a baker on the Western Front until May, 1918, when he transferred to the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, during the 1st World War.

Private Crichton was awarded the Victoria Cross for his deeds on 30 September 1918 at Crèvecœur, France:

CITATION 

Private Crichton, although wounded in the foot, stayed with the advancing troops despite difficult canal and river obstacles. When his platoon was forced back by a counterattack he succeeded in carrying a message which involved swimming a river and crossing an area swept by machine-gun fire.

Subsequently he rejoined his platoon and later undertook on his own initiative to save a bridge which had been mined. Under close fire he managed to remove the charges, returning with the fuses and detonators.

He was later promoted to sergeant.

Sergeant Crichton died at Takapuna, New Zealand, on 25 September, 1961.

There is a Blue Plaque in his memory at the premises of Weston Engineering, 75 Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus, County Antrim, the location of his family home.

First published in May, 2013.

Patrick Carlin VC

PRIVATE PATRICK CARLIN VC

Patrick Carlin was born in 1832 at Belfast. When he was about 26 years old, he served as a private soldier in 1st Battalion, The 13th Foot, later known as The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's).

In 1858, during the Indian Mutiny at Azumgurh, India, Private Carlin carried out the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

CITATION

The Commander-in-Chief in India directs that the undermentioned Soldier, of the 13th Foot, be presented, in the name of Her Most Gracious Majesty, with a Medal of the Victoria Cross, for valour and daring in the field, viz.: Private Patrick Carlin, No 3611, of the 13th Foot, for rescuing, on the 6th of April, 1858, a wounded Naick of the 4th Madras Rifles, in the field of battle, after killing, with the Naick's sword, a mutineer sepoy, who fired at him whilst bearing off his wounded comrade on his shoulders.

Patrick Carlin died in the Belfast Union Infirmary on 11th May, 1895, and was buried in the Friar's Bush graveyard, Stranmillis Road, Belfast. There is no memorial.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Somerset Light Infantry Museum, Taunton, Somerset.

First published in May, 2013.

Daniel Cambridge VC

YEOMAN DANIEL CAMBRIDGE VC

Daniel Cambridge (1820-82) was born at Carrickfergus, County Antrim, son of Archibald Cambridge and Bridget (nee Murray).

Attesting at Lisburn, County Antrim, in 1839, he gave his occupation as labourer. He is recorded as being 5' 8" tall, with a fresh complexion, dark grey eyes and brown hair.

He enlisted four days later, as a Driver and Gunner in the 4th Battalion, Royal Regiment of Artillery. Having served with 2nd Company, 4th Battalion, in Malta (1841-47), Cambridge was then posted to Canada with the 7th Battalion, in 1848.

In 1849, he married Ann Bigham, daughter of James Bigham, at Notre-Dame de Québec, Quebec, Canada.

In 1853, Cambridge's posting to Canada came to an end and he and Ann, now expecting their first child, found themselves on the way to England and the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, the home of the Royal Artillery.  

He was 35 years old and a bombardier in the Royal Regiment of Artillery when he carried out the actions during the Crimean War for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

On 8th September, 1855, at Sebastopol, Crimea, Cambridge volunteered for the spiking party on the assault on the Redan.

He remained with the party after being severely wounded twice, but had refused to leave until the general retirement was ordered, and even then he repeatedly went back into the open to carry wounded men to safety.

In the latter part of the day, he sprang forward to bring in another wounded man. While carrying the helpless infantryman to the safety of the trench, Cambridge was seen to stagger.

Subsequently, he was found to have been shot a third time, in his right jaw, and, incapacitated, he took no further part in the action.

CITATION

...For having volunteered for the spiking party at the assault on the Redan, 8 September 1855, and continuing therewith, after being severely wounded; and for having, in the after part of the same day, gone out in front of the advanced trench, under a heavy fire, to bring in a wounded man, in performing which service, he was himself severely wounded a second time.

In 1857, Cambridge was promoted to Master Gunner with the 8th Coastal Battery, Athlone, County Roscommon; and in 1862 he was posted to Fort Tarbert, County Kerry.

Daniel Cambridge VC was pensioned as a Master Gunner after completing thirty-two years' service, in 1871.

In that same year he was appointed to The Queen's Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard.

Yeoman Cambridge died from the wounds received in the Crimean War in 1882, at 57 Frederick Place, Plumstead, aged 62 years.

He was survived by his wife Ann, and their children William (born in Woolwich in 1854), Mary (Athlone 1857), Agnes (Athlone 1859), Daniel (Athlone 1861), Catherine (Tarbert 1865) and Elizabeth (Tarbert 1865).

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich, London.

First published in May, 2013.

Charles Davis Lucas VC

REAR-ADMIRAL CHARLES DAVIS LUCAS VC

Charles Davis Lucas was born in 1834, son of David and Elizabeth (Hill) Lucas.

His family lived at Druminargle House, Scarva, County Armagh,

His ancestors had originally come from England in the 17th century and were once major landowners in County Monaghan, seated at Castle Shane.

Druminargle House

Charles Lucas enlisted in the Royal Navy, aged 13; and five years later, aged 18, he saw active service in the Burma War of 1852-53, being awarded the India Medal.

The incident for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross occurred during the Crimea War, which broke out in 1854.

Although the main area of the war was the Crimean Peninsula, significant hostilities took place in other places, particularly in the Baltic Sea.

Lucas was a mate on HMS Hecla, a wooden battleship, part of the fleet of warships dispatched to blockade the Russian Baltic Fleet and divert their resources away from the Crimea.

On the evening of 21st June, 1854, HMS Hecla, HMS Odin and HMS Valorous attacked the large fortress on Bomarsund in the Aland islands which guarded the entrance to the Gulf of Bothnia.

During the fierce action, which lasted most of the night, the Hecla closed on the fortress, within the range of the Russian guns.

CITATION

  ...... at the height of the action a live shell landed on Hecla's upper deck, with its fuse still hissing. All hands were ordered to fling themselves flat on the deck, but Mr Lucas with great presence of mind ran forward and hurled the shell into the sea, where it exploded with a tremendous roar before it hit the water. Thanks to Mr Lucas's action no one was killed or seriously wounded.

For his bravery Lucas was instantly promoted to Acting Lieutenant RN, at the time the only method of recognizing acts of bravery for those of his rank.

Lucas's action, together with other individual acts of bravery, was widely reported and in December of that year it was proposed in Parliament

"that an Order of Merit to persons serving in the army or navy for distinguished and prominent personal gallantry to which every grade should be admissible" should be created.

This was supported by the Government and on 26th June, 1857, at the inaugural ceremony, the Victoria Cross was presented to Lieutenant Lucas by The Queen.

In his subsequent career Lucas's commands included HMS Liffey, HMS Edinburgh and HMS Calcutta.

He was later promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral in command of HMS Indus before retiring from the senior service.

In 1879, he married Frances, daughter of Admiral Sir William Hutcheon Hall KCB, who had been Captain of HMS Hecla in 1854.

Admiral Lucas settled in Great Culverden, Kent.

He died in 1914 and is buried in Mereworth, near Maidstone, in Kent.

First published in May, 2013.

Edmund De Wind VC

Second Lieutenant Edmund De Wind VC (1883-1918) was an army officer during the 1st World War and posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross.

Born at Comber, County Down, in 1883, to Arthur Hughes De Wind and his wife, Margaret Jane, Edmund was educated at Campbell College, Belfast (entered in 1895, number 249).

He chose banking as his profession and worked at the Bank of Ireland's Clones branch.

De Wind moved to Canada in 1911 and joined the Canadian Bank of Commerce, Edmonton, when the 1st World War began.

He served with The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada for a period of six months prior to his enlistment as a private, in 1914, in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force; arrived in France with the 2nd Division of CEF in September, 1915; saw action in the Battle of the Somme (1916) and at Vimy Ridge (1917).

De Wind earned a commission in September, 1917, in the 15th Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for deeds committed during the second Battle of the Somme in 1918. He died on that day.

His citation reads:

For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 21st March, 1918, at the Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies. For seven hours he held this most important post, and though twice wounded and practically single-handed, he maintained his position until another section could be got to his help.

On two occasions, with two NCOs only, he got out on top under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and cleared the enemy out of the trench, killing many. He continued to repel attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed.

His valour, self-sacrifice and example were of the highest order.''

The first memorial to de Wind is a pillar his mother caused to be carved at the main entrance on the west front of St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.

The pillar bears his name and the date of his death.

The west front was dedicated to the men from Northern Ireland who died in the Great War. It was dedicated in 1927.

2nd Lieutenant De Wind is also named on Poziers Monument; Mount de Wind, Alberta, Canada; a housing estate in his home town of Comber, County Down, is also named in his honour.

A plaque memorial was erected in his old school, Campbell College, Belfast.

De Wind was officially remembered in Comber on Friday, 14th September, 2007, through the unveiling of an Ulster History Circle "Blue Plaque" in his honour.

First published in November, 2013.

Robert Quigg VC

The possibility is being examined of having a dedicated memorial or sculpture in the admirable little  village of Bushmills, County Antrim, to honour Sergeant Robert Quigg VC, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at the Battle of the Somme.

Discussions have taken place at Moyle Council in Ballycastle and it was agreed to write to the Royal British Legion in Bushmills and the Macnaghten family, of Dundarave, to get their views.

Many, including self, would like to see a memorial in place in Bushmills ahead of 2016 which will be the centenary of Quigg's heroics in World War One.

A local historian, Robert Thompson, said:

"In July of 1916 Robert Quigg risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers at the Somme and was awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts.
"He is the only Victoria Cross winner north of Belfast, yet he is ignored by his home town of Bushmills. If this was anywhere else in the world he would be feted and honoured forever."

North Antrim Assemblyman Robin Swann is also pushing for a memorial. He said:

"While Robert is acknowledged by the presence of a plaque at the War Memorial, the community have suggested that a more fitting tribute or a statue or sculpture could be provided in time for the centenary of his actions.
"I am sure the community will play a full part in planning such a tribute but clearly leadership from the Council in delivering such a memorial will be very important."

Robert Quigg, from the village, enlisted in the 12th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles (Mid-Antrim Volunteers) during World War One.

His platoon commander was Lieutenant Harry Macnaghten (Sir Edward Harry Macnaghten, 6th Baronet, 1896–1916).

On 1 July Robert's platoon advanced three times only to be beaten back by the Germans. Many hundreds of the 12th Battalion were either killed or wounded.

In the confusion of battle it became known that Lieutenant Macnaghten was missing. Robert Quigg immediately volunteered to go out into no-man's land and search for his commander.

His actions during that fruitless search led him to receive the Victoria Cross.

His citation reads as follows:

Hearing a rumour that his platoon officer was lying wounded, he went out seven times to look for him, under heavy shell and machine-gun fire, each time bringing back a wounded man.

The last man he dragged on a waterproof sheet from within yards of the enemy's wire. He was seven hours engaged in this most gallant work, and was finally so exhausted that he had to give it up.
The body of Sir (Edward) Harry Macnaghten, 6th Baronet, was never found.

Most tragically for Edith, Lady Macnaghten, her two sons, the 6th and 7th Baronets, were both killed in action.

Robert Quigg returned to Bushmills to a hero's welcome. He died in 1955 and was buried with full military honours at Billy Church.

Councillor Joan Baird described Quigg as "a very famous hero of our area".

First published in August,  2011.

William John English VC

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WILLIAM JOHN ENGLISH VC, born on 6 October 1882 in Cork, was the son of Major William English OBE; educated at Harvey Grammar School in Folkstone, Kent from 1894-98; and Campbell College, Belfast from 1898-99.

After a short spell in the Merchant Navy, he left it in South Africa and in November 1900 joined the the Scottish Horse.

In March, 1901, he received his commission as Lieutenant in the 2nd Scottish Horse.

The citation of his VICTORIA CROSS reads as follows:

This officer, with five men, was holding the position at Vlakfontein on 3 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 the lieutenant's personal pluck. When the ammunition ran short, he went over to the next party and obtained more; to do so he had to cross some 15 yards of open ground, under a heavy fire at a range of from 20 to 30 yards.

After his retirement in 1930 he lived at Kings Road, Knock, in Belfast where he was the Northern Ireland organiser for the National Association for Employment of Regular Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen.

In August, 1939, he formed in Northern Ireland a Group of the National Defence Corps which in November of that year, became the 6th Battalion, The Royal Ulster Rifles.

In April, 1941, he left to take up an unknown appointment in the Middle East but died at sea on the 4th July. He is buried in Maala Cemetery in Aden. 

A researcher from the Imperial War Museum recently advised that the English VC medal group is leaving Campbell College, Belfast, and heading to the Lord Ashcroft VC & GC Gallery in the Imperial War Museum, London, on a ten year loan.

Gavin has sent the researcher over some photos from his English VC research.

An interesting video is here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newsvideo/8111160/Lord-Ashcroft-introduces-Extraordinary-Heroes-exhibition.html

http://www.gavinbamford.utvinternet.com/EnglishVC.htm

http://www.ulsterhistory.co.uk/240604.htm

First published in November, 2010.

Sir George White VC

© National Museums Northern Ireland

FIELD MARSHAL SIR GEORGE STUART WHITE VC GCB OM GCSI GCMG GCIE GCVO JP DL

George Stuart White was a son of James White, of White Hall, County Antrim, and his wife Frances Ann, daughter of George Stewart, Surgeon-General to the Army in Ireland and his wife Frances (daughter of Colonel William Stewart MP, of Killymoon Castle, County Tyrone).

He was born at Low Rock Castle, Portstewart, County Londonderry, in 1835.

He was educated at Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire, and later at King William's College on the Isle of Man.

From 1850, he attended the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, where he was commissioned into the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot in 1853, prior to serving at the Indian Mutiny.

In 1874, he married Amelia, daughter of the Ven Joseph Baly, Archdeacon of Calcutta, with whom he had one son and four daughters.

Major White fought in the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War in 1879 as second-in-command of the 92nd Regiment of Foot (later The Gordon Highlanders).

He was 44 years old when the following deeds took place in Afghanistan, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

CITATION

For conspicuous bravery during the engagement at Charasiah on the 6th October, 1879, when, finding that the artillery and rifle fire failed to dislodge the enemy from a fortified hill which it was necessary to capture, Major White led an attack upon it in person.

Advancing with two companies of his regiment; and climbing from one steep ledge to another, he came upon a body of the enemy, strongly posted, and outnumbering his force by about 8 to 1. His men being much exhausted, and immediate action being necessary, Major White took a rifle, and, going on by himself, shot the leader of the enemy. This act so intimidated the rest that they fled round the side of the hill, and the position was won.

Again, on the 1st September, 1880, at the battle of Candahar, Major White, in leading, the final charge, under a heavy fire from the enemy, who held a strong position and were supported by two guns, rode straight up to within a few yards of them, and seeing the guns, dashed forward and secured one, immediately after which the enemy retired.

He became the commanding officer of the 92nd Foot in 1881.

He commanded a brigade during the 3rd Anglo-Burmese War of 1885, as a result of which he was promoted to major-general and was knighted in 1886.

In 1889 he took command at Quetta District.

Sir George became Commander-in-Chief, India, in 1893.

He was appointed Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1898, holding that post until the following year. He was commander of the forces in Natal during the opening of the 2nd Boer War; and commanded the garrison at the Siege of Ladysmith 1899–1900, for which he was appointed GCMG.

General White became Governor of Gibraltar, 1900-04, and was promoted to field marshal in 1903.

He was Governor of the Royal Chelsea Hospital from 1905 until his death there in 1912.

Sir George was buried at Broughshane, County Antrim, his ancestral home, where a memorial now stands.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum in Aberdeen.

First published in May, 2013.

Robert Hill Hanna VC

LIEUTENANT ROBERT HILL HANNA VC

Robert Hanna was born near Hanna's Close, Kilkeel, County Down, in 1886, and migrated to Canada in 1905.

He joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the 1st World War, and by the summer of 1917 was a Company Sergeant-Major (CSM) serving with the 29th Infantry Battalion.

In 1917, CSM Hanna’s company was attempting to overpower a German strongpoint on Hill 70, near Lens in France.

In the course of three assaults on the enemy position, the company had suffered several casualties, including the loss of all of its officers.

While his company continued to take casualties from the heavy machine gun fire coming from the strongpoint, Hanna calmly collected a party of men and led them in a fourth attack, rushing through the dense barbed wire protecting the position.

When he arrived inside the strongpoint, CSM Hanna bayoneted three of the enemy and clubbed a fourth with his rifle, enabling the position and its machine gun to be captured.

For the bravery and leadership he demonstrated in this action, Robert Hanna received the Victoria Cross.

CITATION 

“For most conspicuous bravery in attack, when his company met with most severe enemy resistance and all the company officers became casualties. A strong point, heavily protected by wire and held by a machine gun, had beaten off three assaults of the company with heavy casualties.

This Warrant Officer under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, coolly collected a party of men, and leading them against this strong point, rushed through the wire and personally bayonetted three of the enemy and brained the fourth, capturing the position and silencing the machine gun.

This most courageous action, displayed courage and personal bravery of the highest order at this most critical moment of the attack, was responsible for the capture of a most important tactical point, and but for his daring action and determined handling of a desperate situation the attack would not have succeeded.

CSM Hanna’s outstanding gallantry, personal courage and determined leading of his company is deserving of the highest possible reward.” 

He died in Mount Lehman, British Columbia on the 15th June, 1967.