ANGUS, William (VC)

Lance Corporal,7709 William ANGUS, Victoria Cross, 8th Lanark Battalion Highland Light Infantry. Court 6416 He was a Professional footballer Born 28th February 1888 at Armadale, Scotland and died 14th June 1959 aged 71 at Law Hospital, Carluke, Lanark.

Some notes of what is left of his Army record He joined the army on the 9th September 1914 to the Army reserve. He gave his address as Moor Cottages, sandy Road, Carluke and gave his father George of the same address as his next of kin. he was mobilised on the 16th February 1915 and embarked Southampton same day for Rouen, France, where he joined his unit in the field the 6th Scottish Rifles. On the 18th May 1915 he received a gunshot wound to his right knee, right lower leg. He was attended at the 23rd Field Ambulance and then transferred the same day to the 7th Casualty Clearing Station, Merville. The 19th he was taken to the 1st Canadian Stationary Hospital, Wimereux and then on the 21st to the 10th General Hospital, Rouen. He was discharged from hospital fit for service on the 29th May 1915 and was taken to No1 Territorial Base to taken to his unit in the field. Whilst at this base he was this time severely wounded. He received severe grenade wounds on the 12th June 1915 to his head, shoulders and foot all on the left side of his body. He was taken 23rd Field Ambulance at Hinges, then to 13th Stationary Hospital at Boulogne. On the 6th of July he had his left eye excised. He was then sent to England on Hospital Ship St David on the 11th July 1915 were he was admitted to Military Hospital, Chatham. On the 6th July 1915.
He was promoted as Corporal on the 3rd July 1916 (no record was found as to when he was promoted to Lance Corporal), and was posted to the 6th Reserve Scottish Rifles attached to the 10th Cadet Battalion Gailes. Promoted to Acting Sergeant 241464 on the 4th July 1916, transferred to the 6th Bn and the posted to the 5th Bn on the 1st September 1916. Memo dated 6th July 1920 stated the No 7709 L.Cpl W. Angus V.C. 8 Highland Light Infantry. The above named man was transferred to the 6th Scottish Rifles and posted to the 5th Reserve on the 20th September 1916. He was discharged from the army on the 31st August 1918. At some stage he got married and his wife was called Mary and she lived at 13, Melville Place, Carluke His Military History Sheet records hand written how he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

VICTORIA CROSS
On 12 June 1915 at Givenchy-les-la-Bassee, France Lance-Corporal Angus voluntarily left his trench under very heavy bomb and rifle fire and rescued a wounded officer who was lying within a few yards of the enemy's position. The lance-corporal had no chance of escaping the enemy's fire when undertaking this gallant deed, and in effecting the rescue he received about 40 wounds, some of them being very serious.