Major-General Henry Edward Manning Douglas (11 July 1875 – 14 February 1939) 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 A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces.

Biography

Born in Gillingham, Medway, Douglas took the Scottish Triple Qualification (LRCP(Edin), LRCS(Edin), LRCPS(Glas) in 1898. He was commissioned as a lieutenant in the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

on 28 July 1899, and travelled to South Africa following the outbreak of the Second Boer War three months later. Douglas was 24 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps during the Second Boer War, when the following deed earned him the Victoria Cross at the Battle of Magersfontein, South Africa, on 11 December 1899: Douglas was himself wounded by a bullet in the face at Magersfontein, and was invalided back home. He returned to South Africa only two months later, however, leaving Southampton in the SS ''Ottoman'' in late February 1900, and continued to serve until he returned to the United Kingdom in early 1901. He received the VC from King Edward VII during an investiture at Marlborough House on 25 July 1901. The following year he was appointed for light duty in the Home District, and promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 28 July 1902. He also served in the First World War and later achieved the rank of Major General. In October 1914, the Duchess of Wellington’s Hospital was opened at the Casino at La Touquet with a staff of sixty orderlies, nineteen Bart’s nurses and four qualified dressers. The chief surgeon was Major (later Sir) Charles Watson FRCS assisted by five Medical Officers. Its commandant was Major HEM Douglas RAMC, VC, DSO.Myers, Charles S, Shell Shock in France, Cambridge University Press, 1940, reprinted 2011 He is buried in Epsom. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the

Army Medical Services Museum The Museum of Military Medicine, formerly the Army Medical Services Museum (AMS Museum), is located in Keogh Barracks, on Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett, Surrey, England. History The museum is based on the "Mytchett Collection", a collection ...

in Aldershot, England.

References

* Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999) * The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997) * Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
(Surrey)
Anglo-Boer War biography
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Henry Edward Manning 1875 births 1939 deaths People from Gillingham, Kent British Army major generals Second Boer War recipients of the Victoria Cross British recipients of the Victoria Cross Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George Companions of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Royal Army Medical Corps officers British Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France) British Army personnel of the Second Boer War British military personnel of the Third Somaliland Expedition British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel of the Russian Civil War People of the Balkan Wars Recipients of the Order of St. Sava Explorers of China Alumni of the University of Edinburgh Military personnel from Kent