Archie Cecil Thomas White

For those of a similar name, see Archibald White (disambiguation).

Archie White
Born	(1890-10-05)5 October 1890 Boroughbridge, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	20 May 1971(1971-05-20) (aged 80) Camberley, Surrey, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	File:Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Service years	1914–1947
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Green Howards Royal Army Education Corps
Commands	Chief Education Officer, 21st Army Group
Conflicts	World War I Russian Civil War World War II
Awards	File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg Victoria Cross Military Cross

Colonel Archie Cecil Thomas White VC MC (5 October 1890 – 20 May 1971) was an English 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.

Early life and education

White was born on 5 October 1890 in Boroughbridge, West Riding of Yorkshire, England. His father, Thomas White (also Wright; 1838-1911), was thrice married and worked as a draper, grocer and outfitter. His mother, Jeannie née Finlayson (c. 1852-1924), was Scottish. Archie was educated at the Municipal Secondary Day School, Harrogate. Having been awarded a scholarship, he studied English literature at King's College, London, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1913. While at university, he was a cadet of the Officers Training Corps.

Military service

File:The Hundred Days Offensive, August-november 1918 Q9512.jpg

White (left) with other member's of 137th Brigade staff during the Hundred Days Offensive 1918

On 12 September 1914, White was commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the British Army. Having been assigned to the 6th (Service) Battalion, Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), he was promoted to temporary lieutenant on 10 December 1914.

White was 25 years old, and a temporary captain in what was later known as the Green Howards, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC during the First World War:

During the period 21 September to 1 October 1916 at Stuff Redoubt, France, Captain White was in command of the troops which held the southern and western faces of a redoubt. For four days and nights by skilful disposition he held the position under heavy fire of all kinds and against several counterattacks. Although short of supplies and ammunition, his determination never wavered and when the enemy attacked in greatly superior numbers and had almost ejected our troops from the redoubt, he personally led a counter-attack which finally cleared the enemy out of the southern and western faces.

On 30 June 1917, he was transferred to the General Staff as a general staff officer (grade 3). On 28 March 1918, he was appointed brigade major of the 137th Brigade commanded by J. V. Campbell VC. He returned to the General Staff as a GSO 3rd grade on 25 April 1919.

On 25 November 1920, White transferred to the Army Education Corps with a permanent commission and the rank of major. On 8 January 1925, he was appointed commandant of Queen Victoria School, a boarding school in Dunblane. He rose achieved the rank of colonel. He wrote a history of the corps, published in 1963.

Commemoration

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Green Howards Museum in Richmond, North Yorkshire, England.

A book on his life and that of his school friend and fellow VC Donald Simpson Bell called A Breed Apart by Richard Leake was published by Great North Publishing in 2008. "The story of White and Bell deserves to be known by a wider audience. To have two school friends both awarded the VC on the same battlefield is probably unique in British military history," said Richard Leake.

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Woking Crematorium)