William Johnstone Milne
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William Johnstone Milne VC (21 December 1892 – 9 April 1917), was a Canadian soldier in World War I who posthumously received the Victoria Cross for the highest gallantry against the enemy during action in France on 9 April 1917.
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[edit] Details
Milne was born 21 December 1892 in Scotland and moved to Canada in 1910. He worked on a farm near Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan before joining the army.
Milne was 24 years old, and a private in the 16th (The Canadian Scottish) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. On 9 April 1917 near Thelus, France, during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, Milne saw an enemy machine-gun firing upon fellow troops. Crawling on hands and knees he managed to reach the gun, kill the crew, and capture the gun. Milne later repeated this action against a second enemy machine-gun crew, but was killed shortly afterwards.
Four soldiers earned the Victoria Cross in the Battle of Vimy Ridge; the others were Thain Wendell MacDowell, Ellis Wellwood Sifton and John George Pattison.
[edit] The medal
Milne's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa.
[edit] See also
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
[edit] External links
- The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess (Private William Johnstone Milne entry)
- News Item (Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary's) regimental museum VC exhibition)
- WILLIAM JOHNSTONE MILNE (service/personal details, photographs, citation, relevant documents, burial information)
- Legion Magazine Article on William Johnstone Milne
- Find-A-Grave profile for William Johnstone Milne
- Canadian Scottish Museum
