George Allan Maling VC (6 October 1888 – 9 July 1929) 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 ...

medical doctor and 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.

Early life

Descended from the Maling pottery family, Maling was born at Carlton House in

Bishopwearmouth Bishopwearmouth is a former village and parish which now constitutes the west side of Sunderland City Centre, merging with the settlement as it expanded outwards in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is home to the Sunderland Minster church, which ...

, County Durham (now part of Sunderland), the youngest of nine children of Edwin Allan Maling (1838–1920), a general practitioner, and his wife Maria Jane, née Hartley (1847–1932). His paternal grandmother was a first cousin of

Sir Henry Havelock Major-General Sir Henry Havelock (5 April 1795 – 24 November 1857) was a British general who is particularly associated with India and his recapture of Cawnpore during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (First War of Independence, Sepoy Mutiny). E ...

. His mother's family originated from Scotland and had established a glassmaking business in Sunderland in the 1830s. Maling was educated at

Uppingham School Uppingham School is a public school (English independent day and boarding school for pupils 13-18) in Uppingham, Rutland, England, founded in 1584 by Robert Johnson, the Archdeacon of Leicester, who also established Oakham School. The headma ...

and graduated with honours in natural sciences from

Exeter College, Oxford (Let Exeter Flourish) , old_names = ''Stapeldon Hall'' , named_for = Walter de Stapledon, Bishop of Exeter , established = , sister_college = Emmanuel College, Cambridge , rector = Sir Richard Trainor ...

. He continued his studies at St Thomas' Hospital, qualifying MB BCh in 1914, then MRCS and LRCP in 1915. After the initial 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 ...

, Maling gained a temporary commission in the Royal Army Medical Corps as a 26-year-old Lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps on 18 January 1915. After five months he joined the 12th Battalion, The

Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Ri ...

as their medical officer. The following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC: On 25 September 1915 near

Fauquissart Laventie (; vls, Wentie) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography A small farming and light industrial town, situated some northeast of Béthune and west of Lille, at the junction of the ...

, France Lieutenant Maling worked for over 24 hours with untiring energy, collecting and treating in the open, under heavy shell fire, more than 300 men. During the morning of the 25th he was temporarily stunned by the bursting of a large high-explosive shell which wounded his only assistant and killed several of his patients. A second shell covered him and his instruments with debris, but he continued his gallant work single-handed. Maling was mentioned in despatches and promoted to Captain in 1916. He then returned to the UK and served in the Military Hospital in Grantham. He later joined the 34th Field Ambulance of the

11th (Northern) Division The 11th (Northern) Division, was an infantry division of the British Army during the First World War, raised from men who had volunteered for Lord Kitchener's New Armies. The division fought in the Gallipoli Campaign and on the Western Fron ...

and served again in France for two years. On 5 May 1917, Maling married Daisy Mabel Wolmer (1891–1973), originally from

Winnipeg Winnipeg () is the capital and largest city of the province of Manitoba in Canada. It is centred on the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, near the longitudinal centre of North America. , Winnipeg had a city population of 749, ...

, at Sutton, Surrey and they had four children: *John Allan MC (1920–2012), served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

and also became a doctor. Married Daphne Judith ("Judy") Haines in 1952 and had issue. *Phyllis Mary (1922–2008), married Richard David Mortlock (1923–1976) and had issue. *Edwin Lambton (1922–1941), died suddenly, aged 19, at the

Royal Hospital School ) , established = 1694 Royal Charter1712 Greenwich1933 Holbrook , type = Public School Independent day and boarding School Royal Foundation , founders = William III and Mary II , head = Simon Lockyer , head_labe ...

after recently enrolling in the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...

. *Barbara (1926–1949) After the war, George was appointed resident Medical Officer at the Victoria Hospital for Children at Chelsea. He then set up a practice in Lee and was also appointed a surgeon to outpatients at St. John's Hospital, Lewisham.

Death and legacy

Maling died on 9 July 1929, aged 40, after suffering from

pleurisy Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity ( pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other sy ...

and was buried in Chislehurst Cemetery. 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 of ...

Aldershot Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alder ...

. On 25 September 2015, a commemorative paving stone was placed at the base of Sunderland War Memorial, to mark 100 years since Maling was awarded the Victoria Cross.

References

*''

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 3 ...

'' (

David Charles Harvey David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 36 ...

, 1999) *''

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fo ...

'' ( This England, 1997) *''

VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 ''VCs of the First World War'' is a series of books that list the Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War. The series consists of 13 books written by four different authors, first published under the label Sutton Publishing Limited, part ...

'' (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Kent)''
British Medical Journal obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Maling, George Allan 1888 births 1929 deaths People from Sunderland Royal Army Medical Corps officers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross People educated at Uppingham School British Army personnel of World War I British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from County Durham