Major Eric Stuart Dougall VC MC (13 April 1886 – 14 April 1918) was an English recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, 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. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces. Dougall was born in Tunbridge Wells on 13 April 1886 to Andrew and Emily Elizabeth Dougall.Dougall, Eric Stuart
Commonwealth War Graves Commission He was educated at

Tonbridge School Tonbridge School is a public school (English fee-charging boarding and day school for boys aged 13–18) in Tonbridge, Kent, England, founded in 1553 by Sir Andrew Judde (sometimes spelt Judd). It is a member of the Eton Group and has clo ...

, where he won the Cras, the school's cross country race. When he won his VC he was 31 years old, and an Acting

Captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the Special Reserve,

Royal Field Artillery The Royal Field Artillery (RFA) of the British Army provided close artillery support for the infantry. It was created as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 1899, serving alongside the other two arms of the regiment, the ...

, attached to A Bty., 88th Brigade. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his deeds on 10 April 1918 at Messines, Belgium. He was killed in action at

Kemmel Heuvelland () is a municipality located in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The municipality comprises the villages of Dranouter, Kemmel, De Klijte, Loker, Nieuwkerke, Westouter, Wijtschate and Wulvergem. Heuvelland is a thinly populat ...

, Belgium on 14 April 1918. His VC is owned by

Pembroke College, Cambridge Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college is the third-oldest college of the university and has over 700 students and fellows. It is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from ...

. Prior to his war service, Dougall was an Assistant Engineer at the Bombay Port Trust, and there is an officers' residence building named after him (called Dougall House) there.

References

Bibliography

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a British 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 ...

(David Harvey, 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 f ...

(This England, 1997) * VCs of the First World War - Spring Offensive 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 1997) *

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Dougall, Eric Stuart 1886 births 1918 deaths British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Recipients of the Military Cross Royal Field Artillery officers British Army personnel of World War I British military personnel killed in World War I People from Royal Tunbridge Wells People educated at Tonbridge School Alumni of Pembroke College, Cambridge British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Kent