British World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Mitcham in Surrey, while he was still a boy, the family moved North to Barrow-in-Furness. On February 22, 1910, he enlisted in the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. Upon his discharge from that regiment, he joined the 38th. Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps as a Staff Sergeant instructor. On June 26, 1917, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, being promoted, after the Armistice, to the rank of Captain. On September 18, 1918 at Gouzeaucourt in France, during the final weeks of the First World War, the Allied advance was held up by German machine gun fire. Lieutenant White rushed the enemy position single-handed, shot three of the crew and captured the gun. He and two other men went on to attack another machine gun. White's two comrades were shot down immediately, but he continued on his own to capture the gun and kill the crew. The advance was then held up for a third time, and he organized a small party of men, who rushed the position and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. His citation concluded: "By skilful use of his own, as well as the enemy machine guns, he subsequently consolidated his position." He received his Victoria Cross on March 27, 1919 from King George V, at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace. It is now held privately. He was cremated at Emstrey Crematorium in Shrewsbury, but his ashes were buried in his wife's grave in Kent.
British World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. Born in Mitcham in Surrey, while he was still a boy, the family moved North to Barrow-in-Furness. On February 22, 1910, he enlisted in the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment. Upon his discharge from that regiment, he joined the 38th. Battalion of the Machine Gun Corps as a Staff Sergeant instructor. On June 26, 1917, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, being promoted, after the Armistice, to the rank of Captain. On September 18, 1918 at Gouzeaucourt in France, during the final weeks of the First World War, the Allied advance was held up by German machine gun fire. Lieutenant White rushed the enemy position single-handed, shot three of the crew and captured the gun. He and two other men went on to attack another machine gun. White's two comrades were shot down immediately, but he continued on his own to capture the gun and kill the crew. The advance was then held up for a third time, and he organized a small party of men, who rushed the position and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy. His citation concluded: "By skilful use of his own, as well as the enemy machine guns, he subsequently consolidated his position." He received his Victoria Cross on March 27, 1919 from King George V, at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace. It is now held privately. He was cremated at Emstrey Crematorium in Shrewsbury, but his ashes were buried in his wife's grave in Kent.
Bio by: Iain MacFarlaine
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