Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton was born 20 August 1863 in Brighton, East Sussex, England, United Kingdom to Octavius Douglas-Hamilton (1821-1904) and Katherine Augusta Westenra Macleod (c1831-1902) and died 26 September 1915 Battle of Loos of killed in action. He married Anna Watson Mackenzie (bef1879-1945) 1 August 1894 .
| Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1884-1915 † |
| Rank | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| Unit | Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders |
| Battles/wars |
Mahdist War World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Lieutenant-Colonel Angus Falconer Douglas-Hamilton VC (20 August 1863 – 26 September 1915) was a Scottish 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.
Life
Born at Brighton in 1863, he was the son of Major General Octavius Douglas-Hamilton and Katherine Macleod, and a great-great-grandson of Lt.Gen.James Douglas-Hamilton, 4th Duke of Hamilton and 1st Duke of Brandon. Douglas-Hamilton was educated at Foster's Naval Preparatory School, and latterly at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Having been commissioned into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders in 1884, he served in the Sudan, Gibraltar, Malta, South Africa, North China, and India, attaining the rank of major by 1901. He retired in 1912, whilst remaining on the army's reserve list.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Camilla Beatrice Douglas-Hamilton (1895-1957) | |||
World War I
In 1914, at the outbreak of World War I, he was 52 years old. Recalled, and promoted to a temporary Lieutenant-Colonelcy in the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders Reserve of Officers, British Army, commanding the 6th Battalion, the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25/26 September 1915 during operations on Hill 70 at the Battle of Loos, France, Lieutenant-Colonel Douglas-Hamilton, when the battalions on his right and left had retired, rallied his own battalion again and again and led his men forward four times. The last time he led all that remained, about 50 men, in a most gallant manner, and was killed at their head. It was due to his bravery, and splendid leadership that the line at this point was able to check the enemy's advance.[1]
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Regimental Museum of Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons), Fort George, Inverness-shire, Scotland.
References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)
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Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |