George White (British Army officer)

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George White (British Army officer) bigraphy, stories - Recipient of the Victoria Cross

George White (British Army officer) : biography

6 July 1835 – 24 June 1912

Field Marshal Sir George Stuart White VC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, GCVO, (6 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

Honours and legacy

  • VC Victoria Cross 1879
  • CB Companion of the Order of the Bath 1881
  • KCB Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath 1886
  • KCIE Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire 1890
  • GCIE Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire 1893
  • GCB Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath 1897
  • GCSI Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Star of India 1898
  • GCVO Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order 1900
  • GCMG Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George 29 November 1900
  • OM Order of Merit 1905

A statue of White is currently located at Portland Place, London, while a memorial plaque hangs inside the Royal Memorial Chapel at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

The Sir George White Memorial Flute Band still operates in Broughshane, Ballymena.

Early life

White was born at Rock Castle, Portstewart, County Londonderry, son of James White of Whitehall, Co. Antrim and Frances Ann Stewart. His mother was a daughter of George Stewart, Surgeon-General to the British Forces in Ireland, and his wife Frances, daughter of Colonel William Stewart M.P., of Killymoon Castle, Co. Tyrone.

He was educated at Bromsgrove School, Worcestershire and later at King William’s College on the Isle of Man.Heathcote, p. 295 From 1850 White attended the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst where he achieved the rank of Under Officer.

After graduating from Sandhurst, White was commissioned into the 27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot in 1853 and saw service in the Indian Mutiny.

He fought in the Second Anglo-Afghan War in 1879 as second-in-command of the 92nd Regiment of Foot (later The Gordon Highlanders).Heathcote, p. 296

Family

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

His son Jack White after service in the British Army became an Irish republican and socialist who co-founded the Irish Citizens Army along with James Connolly and James Larkin.

The Victoria Cross

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

Later life

He became the commanding officer of the 92nd Foot in 1881. White commanded a Brigade during the Third 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.

He 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 Second Boer War and commanded the garrison at the Siege of Ladysmith 1899–1900, for which he was appointed GCMG. He became Governor of Gibraltar (1900–1904) and was made field marshal in 1903. He was Governor of the Royal Chelsea Hospital from 1905 until his death there on 24 June 1912.

He was buried at Broughshane, a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, the ancestral home of White, where a memorial now stands.

The medal

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