William Edward Heaton
Private, 1st Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment
- Register No.
- 553 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment all King's (Liverpool) Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 23 August 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second Boer War
- London Gazette
- London Gazette on 18th January 1901 on this day → all of 1901 →
- Born
- in 1875 at Ormskirk, Lancashire
- Died
- 5th June 1941 at Southport in Lancashire
- Memorial / grave
- not known
- Medal held by
- in the King's Regiment Collection
Digest of citation
On 23rd August, 1900 at Geluk, South Africa, a company of the 1st Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment became surrounded by the enemy and was suffering severely. Private Heaton volunteered to take a message back to explain the position of the company and he carried out this mission successfully at imminent risk to his own life. Had it not been for his courage, the remainder of his company would almost certainly have had to surrender
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HEATON, William Edward. (reg No. 553).
Private. 1st Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment.
London Gazette on 18th January 1901. V.C., Medal's Custodian is in the King's Regiment Collection. (Museum of Liverpool Life)
Born on in 1875 at Ormskirk, Lancashire.
Died on 5th June 1941 at Southport in Lancashire.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 23rd August, 1900 at Geluk, South Africa, a company of the 1st Battalion, King's (Liverpool) Regiment became surrounded by the enemy and was suffering severely. Private Heaton volunteered to take a message back to explain the position of the company and he carried out this mission successfully at imminent risk to his own life. Had it not been for his courage, the remainder of his company would almost certainly have had to surrender.
(Museum of Liverpool Life)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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