Angus Buchanan

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Angus Buchanan VC MC (11 August 1894 – 1 March 1944) was a 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.

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[edit] Early life

Buchanan was the son of a doctor from Coleford, Gloucestershire.[1]. He was educated at Monmouth School, where he was head boy.[2]. In 1913 he went to Jesus College, Oxford to study Classics. One of his tutors described him as "Thoroughly Scotch and rather reserved, but a hard worker & likely to be a good influence in the Coll[ege]".[3] He rowed for the College in 1914, played rugby and was Secretary of the Athletics Club. He then joined the army, where he served in Gallipoli and Mesopotamia. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1915 and was mentioned four times in despatches.[3]

[edit] Award of the Victoria Cross

He was 21 years old, and a Temporary Captain in the 4th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 5 April 1916 at Falauyah Lines, Mesopotamia, during an attack, an officer was lying out in the open severely wounded about 150 yards from cover. Two men went out to his assistance and one of them was hit at once. Captain Buchanan immediately went out and with the help of the other man, carried the first casualty to cover under machine-gun fire. He then returned and brought in the other wounded man, again under heavy fire.

[edit] Later life

Buchanan was shot in the head in 1917 by a sniper and blinded.[3] He returned to Jesus College after the war and read law, rowing for the college in 1919 despite his blindness.[3] After graduating in 1921, he worked in a solicitor's office in Oxford before returning to Coleford to work until his death in 1944.[3] He returned to Monmouth School in 1921 for the ceremony marking the dedication of the school's war memorial.[2] Funds were raised in Coleford to mark his bravery, which he asked to be used to give children somewhere to play. He is buried in Coleford Cemetery, next to the recreation field named in his honour.[1] His Victoria Cross is displayed at the South Wales Borderers Museum in Brecon.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Coleford People - Angus Buchanan (contains photographs of Buchanan and his medals). Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  2. ^ a b History of the CCF at Monmouth School: A Brief History (contains a photograph of Buchanan laying a wreath at the war memorial in 1921). Monmouth School. Retrieved on 2007-07-15.
  3. ^ a b c d e Dunhill, Rosemary (Trinity Term 2006). "From the Archives: A Jesus College VC" (pdf). Jesus College Newsletter. 
  4. ^ Grave locations for holders of the Victoria Cross in the County of Gloucestershire (contains a photograph of his grave). Retrieved on 2007-07-15.