William Edward Heaton
William Edward Heaton | |
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Born | 2 January 1875 Ormskirk, Lancashire |
Died | 5 June 1941 (aged 66) Southport |
Buried | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Rank | Sergeant |
Unit | The King's (Liverpool) Regiment |
Battles/wars | Second Boer War World War I |
Awards | Victoria Cross |
William Edward Heaton VC (2 January 1875 – 5 June 1941) was an English 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.
Details
Heaton was 25 years old, and a private in the 1st Battalion, The King's (Liverpool) Regiment, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place at Geluk, South Africa for which he was awarded the VC:
On the 23rd August, 1900, the Company to which Private Heaton belonged, advancing in front of the general line held by the troops, became surrounded by the enemy and was suffering severely. At the request of the Officer Commanding, Private Heaton volunteered to take a message back to explain the position of the Company. He was successful, though at the imminent risk of his own life. Had it not been for Private Heaton's courage there can be little doubt that the remainder of the Company, which suffered very severely, would have had to surrender.[1]
Further information
He later achieved the rank of sergeant and served during World War I.[2]
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the King's Regiment, Liverpool, England.
References
- ^ "No. 27267". The London Gazette. 18 January 1901. p. 398.
- ^ William Edward Heaton on Lives of the First World War
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Lancashire)
- The King's Regiment (regiment history)
- v
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1st generation |
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2nd generation |
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- Thomas Grady
- Harry Christian
- James Miller
- Jack White
- Tom Fletcher Mayson
- Albert Halton
- Joseph Henry Collin
- James Hewitson
- Thomas Neely
- William Robert Fontaine Addison
- Harry Hampton
- Henry James Knight
- William Edward Heaton
- Joseph Harcourt Tombs
- Edward Felix Baxter
- Arthur Herbert Procter
- David Jones
- Oswald Reid
- Jack Thomas Counter
- James Pitts
- Robert Scott
- James Leach
- John Hogan
- Issy Smith
- William Forshaw
- George Stringer
- George Evans
- Charles Harry Coverdale
- Walter Mills
- Wilfrith Elstob
- Alfred Robert Wilkinson
- James Kirk
- George Stuart Henderson
- John McDermond
- Mark Walker
- John Lucas
- Euston Sartorius
- Spencer Bent
- Henry Edward Kenny
- William Young
- Alfred Victor Smith
- Richard Basil Brandram Jones
- Thomas Orde Lawder Wilkinson
- Gabriel Coury
- John Readitt
- William Ratcliffe
- John Thomas Davies
- Basil Horsfall
- Marcus Ervine-Andrews
- Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke