William Johnstone Milne
Private, 16th Battalion. Canadian Scottish. Canadian Expeditionary Force
- Register No.
- 873 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 16th Battalion. Canadian Scottish. Canadian Expeditionary Force (register: 16th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 9 April 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th June 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 21st December 1892 at Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland
- Died
- in action on 9th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, France
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
Digest of citation
Whilst in the process of an attack on Vimy Ridge, France, on reaching the first objective Private Milne spotted an enemy machine-gun firing on the advancing troops. He reached the gun by crawling on his hands and knees, bombing the crew and killing them, capturing the gun. On the reformation of the line he located another machine-gun. Again on hands and knees he stalked the second gun, putting the enemy crew out of action and capturing the gun
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
MILNE, William Johnstone. (reg No. 873).
Private. 16th Battalion. Canadian Scottish. Canadian Expeditionary Force.
London Gazetted on 8th June 1917.
Born on 21st December 1892 at Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland.
Killed in action on 9th April 1917 at Vimy Ridge, France. Remembered on the Vimy Memorial, France.
Digest of Citation reads: Whilst in the process of an attack on Vimy Ridge, France, on reaching the first objective Private Milne spotted an enemy machine-gun firing on the advancing troops. He reached the gun by crawling on his hands and knees, bombing the crew and killing them, capturing the gun. On the reformation of the line he located another machine-gun. Again on hands and knees he stalked the second gun, putting the enemy crew out of action and capturing the gun.
Additional information:. Private Milne was killed shortly after capturing the second gun.
Additional information
Private Milne was killed shortly after capturing the second gun.
Remembered on the Vimy Memorial, France.
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