MajorWilliam Anderson BloomfieldVC (30 January 1873 – 12 May 1954) was a British-born South African recipient of theVictoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded toBritish andCommonwealth forces.
William Anderson Bloomfield | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 30 January 1873 Edinburgh,Scotland,UK |
| Died | 12 May 1954(1954-05-12) (aged 81) Ermelo, Mpumalanga,South Africa |
| Buried | Ermelo Cemetery |
| Allegiance |  Union of South Africa |
| Service | South African Forces |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. His parents emigrated to South Africa in 1878.[1]
Freemasonry
editHe was Initiated into Freemasonry in Concordia Lodge, No. 2685, (E.C.) (Ermelo, Mpumalanga Province, Republic of South Africa) on 18 June, Passed on 16 July and Raised on 16 July 1904.[2]
Victoria Cross
editHe was 43 years old, and acaptain in the Scout Corps,2nd South African Mounted Brigade,South African Forces during theFirst World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 24 August 1916 atMlali,Tanganyika (nowTanzania), when consolidating his new position after being heavily attacked and being forced to retire,[3] Captain Bloomfield found that one of the wounded – a corporal – had not been evacuated with the rest. At considerable personal risk the captain went back over 400 yards of ground swept by machine-gun and rifle fire and managed to reach the wounded man and bring him back to safety.[4]
Whilst he was Scottish-born, he is also considered a South African as he emigrated there. Bloomfield later achieved the rank ofmajor. He is buried in the cemetery inErmelo, Mpumalanga, South Africa.
His Victoria Cross was displayed at theNational Museum of Military History inJohannesburg and is now kept by his family.
Recognition
editA pavement plaque to Bloomfield was added on the side of theUnion Canal near the new Boroughmuir High School in 2020.
Bibliography
edit- Gliddon, Gerald (2005).The Sideshows.VCs of the First World War. Gloucestershire, England: Sutton Publishing.ISBN 978-0-7509-2084-1.
References
edit- ^"William Anderson Bloomfield, Victoria Cross winner during WW1, is born in Edinburgh, Scotland. His parents came to South Africa | South African History Online". Archived fromthe original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved19 October 2012.
- ^The Great War 1914–1918 Victoria Cross Freemasons. Granville Angell. 2014. pp. 77–82.ISBN 978-0-9563661-7-7
- ^"The Soldier's Burden".
- ^"No. 29885".The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. pp. 12735–12736.
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)