William Temple
Assistant Surgeon, Royal Regiment of Artillery
- Register No.
- 1206 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Assistant Surgeon all Assistant Surgeons →
- Unit
- Royal Regiment of Artillery (register: Royal Artillery) all Royal Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 20 November 1863 on this day → all of 1863 →
- Conflict / campaign
- New Zealand Wars
- London Gazette
- the 22nd September, 1864 on this day → all of 1864 →
- Born
- the 7th November 1833 at Monaghan, County Monoghan, Ireland
- Memorial / grave
- at Highland Rd., Cemetery, Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Medal held by
- unknown
Digest of citation
During an assault on the enemy's position at Rangiriri, New Zealand, on 20th November 1863, Assistant Surgeon Temple, along with Lieutenant Pickard, showed gallant conduct in exposing their lives to imminent danger, in order to render assistance to the wounded, and especially to Captain Mercer, who later died, of the Royal Artillery. At a point in the crossing of the entrance to the Maori Keep, where the enemy were concentrating their fire. As Assistant Surgeon Temple attended to the wounded, Lieutenant Pickard, crossed and recrossed the parapet to obtain water for the wounded, when none of the other men could be prevailed upon to perform the service. The coolness displayed by these officers, exposed all the time to heavy cross-fire was exemplary
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
TEMPLE, William. (reg No. 1206).
Assistant Surgeon. Royal Regiment of Artillery.
London Gazetted on the 22nd September, 1864.
VC Medal's Custodian is unknown.
Born on the 7th November 1833 at Monaghan, County Monoghan, Ireland .
Died o 13th February, 1919 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Memorial on grave at Highland Rd., Cemetery, Portsmouth, Hampshire.
digest of Citation reads: During an assault on the enemy's position at Rangiriri, New Zealand, on 20th November 1863, Assistant Surgeon Temple, along with Lieutenant Pickard, showed gallant conduct in exposing their lives to imminent danger, in order to render assistance to the wounded, and especially to Captain Mercer, who later died, of the Royal Artillery. At a point in the crossing of the entrance to the Maori Keep, where the enemy were concentrating their fire. As Assistant Surgeon Temple attended to the wounded, Lieutenant Pickard, crossed and recrossed the parapet to obtain water for the wounded, when none of the other men could be prevailed upon to perform the service. The coolness displayed by these officers, exposed all the time to heavy cross-fire was exemplary.
Additional information:. He was the son of the late William Temple M D and his wife Anne of Monaghan, Ireland. He had a private education at the Reverend John Bleckley's School, Monaghan going on to Trinity College, Dublin. He joined the army on the 1st November 1858, serving between 1860-61 in the Taranaki, New Zealand, campaign. Whilst in New Zealand, he married Anne Theodosia Mould, the fourth daughter of Major-General Mould CB of the Royal Engineers. They had nine children, William Arthur; Reginald Cecil; Bertram Henry; Frank Valiant; Annie Georgina; Elizabeth Alice; Mabel Eva; Ethel Kate and Eleanor. Mrs Anne Theodosia Temple died in 1914. All the male children had Military Careers. Captain William Temple, Gloucestershire Regiment died of wounds on 22nd October 1914. Reginald Temple was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Marine Artillery. Bertram Temple was a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and his brother Frank Temple was a Brigadier-General, both in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. Lieutenant Pickard reg No. 987), was also awarded the Victoria Cross.
From Alf's photographs
Additional information
He was the son of the late William Temple M D and his wife Anne of Monaghan, Ireland. He had a private education at the Reverend John Bleckley's School, Monaghan going on to Trinity College, Dublin. He joined the army on the 1st November 1858, serving between 1860-61 in the Taranaki, New Zealand, campaign. Whilst in New Zealand, he married Anne Theodosia Mould, the fourth daughter of Major-General Mould CB of the Royal Engineers. They had nine children, William Arthur; Reginald Cecil; Bertram Henry; Frank Valiant; Annie Georgina; Elizabeth Alice; Mabel Eva; Ethel Kate and Eleanor. Mrs Anne Theodosia Temple died in 1914. All the male children had Military Careers. Captain William Temple, Gloucestershire Regiment died of wounds on 22nd October 1914. Reginald Temple was a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Royal Marine Artillery. Bertram Temple was a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel and his brother Frank Temple was a Brigadier-General, both in the Royal Marine Light Infantry. Lieutenant Pickard reg No. 987), was also awarded the Victoria Cross.
Died o 13th February, 1919 at Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Highland Rd., Cemetery, Portsmouth, Hampshire
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