Central Hall - Medals on Parade
Preparations being made for the display of the replica Medals of Lt Col (Retd) WJ English VC (406)
Creating The New Paneling In The Central Hall
The College's carpenter, Desi Atkinson, designed and built the new paneling at the back of the Central Hall to house and display the replica medals of Lt Col (Retd) WJ English VC (406).
He left campbell in 1899 and the following year went to South Africa where he joined the Scottish Horse in November, a locally raised South African regiment. He served in the ranks until he was commissioned in March 1901. He was 18 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 2nd Regiment of The Scottish Horse during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:
On the 3rd of July 1901, as a Lt in The Scottish Horse, part of the South African Field Force, at Vlakfontein, he gallantly defended a precarious position with only five men, of whom two were killed and two wounded, to prevent his Regiment from being outflanked from attack by the Boers. Later on when ammunition ran short, he crossed fifteen yards of open space, under fierce fire , at twenty five yards' range, and obtained a fresh supply of ammunition, the position was held, largely owing to Lt English's personal pluck. - Supplement to the London gazette, 4 October 1901. He was awarded the VC for gallantry and decorated by Edward VII during a large Coronation parade of colonial troops in London on 1 July 1902 . A year later, almost to the day, he was receivced in the College's Dining Hall to tumultuous applause.
He was the commissioned in The Royal Army Service Corps in 1906 from The 2nd Dragoon Guards. He later achieved the rank of Lietenant Colonel. He saw action in three major wars, Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. He died of a cerebral haemorrhage on board a Troop Ship near Egypt, on active service with The Royal Ulster Rifles in 1941. He is buried in Maala Cemetery, Aden (now Yemen).
His medal group includes: The Queen's South Africa Medal and 5 Bars (Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & South Africa 1902), 1914 Star with Ribbon Bar (5 August to 22 November 1914), British War Medal, Victory Medal, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, 1939-45 War Medal, King Edward VII Coronation Medal (with Military Ribbon), King George VI Coronation Medal.
Also on display are the three ceramic Poppies.
It is hoped that a set of replica medals for 2Lt E De Wind VC (249) will also be displayed in due course.