Major William Gosling VC (15 August 1892 – 12 February 1945) was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and Commonwealth forces. William Gosling was born in

Wanborough, Wiltshire Wanborough is a large village and civil parish in the borough of Swindon, Wiltshire, England. The village is about southeast of Swindon town centre. The settlement along the High Street is Lower Wanborough, while Upper Wanborough is on higher gr ...

, one of four children to farmer Albert Gosling and his wife Elizabeth. After his education in the village school he worked alongside his father as a wheat farmer. Following his father's death in a farming accident, the family relocated to

Wroughton Wroughton is a large village and civil parish in northeast Wiltshire, England. It is part of the Borough of Swindon and lies along the A4361 between Swindon and Avebury; the road into Swindon crosses the M4 motorway between junctions 15 ...

where Elizabeth, assisted by William and his two elder brothers, took up tenancy of Artis Farm. In 1908, Gosling enlisted with the

Territorial Force The Territorial Force was a part-time volunteer component of the British Army, created in 1908 to augment British land forces without resorting to conscription. The new organisation consolidated the 19th-century Volunteer Force and yeomanry ...

. At the age of 18 he emigrated to Canada, where he worked on grain silos before becoming a fireman on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Following the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, he paid for his passage home and enlisted with the 3rd Wessex Brigade, Royal Field Artillery. He departed for France on 6 May 1915 where his battalion was attached to the 51st Highland Division, stationed near Arras. During the precursor bombardment to the Battle of Arras, on 5 April 1917 Gosling was a battery sergeant in charge of several heavy trench mortars. A bomb was fired from a Stokes Mortar of Sergeant Gosling's battery. "''Owing to a faulty cartridge the bomb, after discharge, fell 10 yards from the mortar. Sergeant Gosling sprang out, lifted the nose of the bomb which had sunk into the ground, unscrewed the fuse and threw it on the ground, where it immediately exploded. This very gallant and prompt action undoubtedly saved the lives of the whole detachment''". For this action he was awarded the Victoria Cross and was presented with the award by King George V outside Buckingham Palace on 21 July 1917. After the war, Gosling returned to his home village of Wroughton to take up the tenancy of Summerhouse Farm. He was vice-president of the Wroughton branch of the

Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants, as well as all others in ...

and served as a Parish Councillor for 14 years between 1922 and 1936. During World War II, the decorated war hero served as a major in the

Home Guard Home guard is a title given to various military organizations at various times, with the implication of an emergency or reserve force raised for local defense. The term "home guard" was first officially used in the American Civil War, starting w ...

. Gosling managed and worked his dairy farm in Wroughton for the remainder of his life. He died at his home on 12 February 1945, aged 52. He is buried in the churchyard of St John the Baptist & St Helen's parish church.

References

Location of grave and VC medal
(Wiltshire) {{DEFAULTSORT:Gosling, William 1892 births 1945 deaths Royal Field Artillery officers British Home Guard officers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel of World War I People from the Borough of Swindon British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Wiltshire Burials in Wiltshire