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Personal
Fullname: William Angus
aka: Willie Angus
Born: 28 February 1888
Died: 14 June 1959
Birthplace: Carluke, Lanarkshire
Signed: 1911
Left: 1914
Internationals: none
Biog
Willie Angus played with Carluke Rovers FC, and in 1911 was signed by Celtic. He tried out for Celtic on the same day as Patsy Gallager and Johnny Black did. Surprisingly, it was John Black & Angus who got chosen, and Patsy picked up later on.
He played with Celtic FC during seasons 1912-13 and 1913-14, but never managed to gain a competitive senior game for the first team, his career cut short by World War One.
His legendary status is beyond the football field, becoming the first ever Scottish Territorial soldier to win the Victoria Cross.
Willie Angus was awarded the highest accolade that any soldier can obtain in the British army, a Victoria Cross, on June 12th, 1915 in Givenchy (France). He lost an eye, damaged a foot and was wounded 40 times in the process of successfully rescuing Lt James Martin, a fellow native of Willie’s home town of Carluke who was lying injured a couple of feet away from the German front lines.
His sheer heroism was described as: “The bravest deed done in the history of the British Army” by Lt Col Gemmill.
When asked why he had risked death to carry out such a mercy mission, he replied:
“I have to go back to Carluke. I cannot return if I left someone from Carluke to die here.”
On returning to Scotland after he had been presented with his medal by the King, he was feted by the whole football community and received standing ovations at both Parkhead and Ibrox on the same day at both semi-finals of the Glasgow Cup. He was the special guest at the 2-0 victory over Glasgow Cup semi-final over Third Lanark, at which he came onto the pitch to get the rightful respect from the crowd, flanked by Willie Maley (Celtic manager) and other local politicians & armed service dignatories.
Willie never able to play for Celtic again after this, but after his return from the war, he was often invited to major football matches as a celebrated and respected guest of honour. He became President of Carluke Rovers FC, and retained that position until his death in old age.
William Angus VC died just two days after the 44th anniversary of his brave deed. His last annual telegram of thanks from the Martin family was delivered to him in hospital.
A visit to the Willie Angus website gives the reader the full details of his deed and provides a unique insight into his truly amazing story.
William Maley’s personal letter to the soldier’s proud dad, he wrote:
“I beg to offer you, on behalf of my club, and personally, our sincerest congratulations on the brilliant achievement of your son, Willie.
“That he may come back to you all safe and sound is now our most earnest prayer, and we trust that you may all be long spared to each other to happy and prosperous days.
“I can safely say that no club ever had a more willing or conscientious player, and one who always showed by his cleanness that fine spirit which has in his army life enabled him to do the deed which has earned him a world’s acclamation.”
Quotes
“The bravest deed done in the history of the British Army.”
Lt Col Gemmill, Givenchy 1915
Military Honours
- Victoria Cross (with British Army)
Playing Career
| APPEARANCES (none with senior) |
LEAGUE | SCOTTISH CUP | LEAGUE CUP | EUROPE | TOTAL |
| 1911-14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Honours with Celtic
none
Articles
Pictures
Articles
Corporal Angus – Celtic player who won the VC . Did not play for first team but did play for second team. Here he is arriving home at Carluke Railway Station
Army Records
Willie’s World War One army record bears a remarkable testimony to a man who would just not give up, he was wounded over a series of days and events. I will put up some images that survive more clearly from his record on ancestry.
First up his casualty record in two parts:
Memorial stone for William Angus unveiled in Carluke
http://www.carlukegazette.co.uk/news/memorial-stone-for-william-angus-unveiled-in-carluke-1-3800899
Always remembered…the bravery of William Angus VC (pic by Sarah Peters)
Ross Thomson
12 June 2015
CARLUKE residents joined members of William Angus’s family to pay tribute to the Victoria Cross winner on the 100th anniversary of his heroic deed this afternoon.
A memorial stone was unveiled in the town’s Market Square by Provost Eileen Logan and Mr Angus’s grandson Peter Buxton as hundreds of people, ranging from school children to ex service personnel looked on.
In his speech to the gathering, Mr Buxton said: “My grandfather did not consider himself a hero; he was just a lucky man to survive.”
Mr Buxton added that this was a particularly poignant anniversary for the Angus family for another reason – this was the same day that two of the sons of Mr Angus had been taken prisoner during World War Two.
Members of the Angus family had travelled from across the country for the ceremony which had been opened by Provost Eileen Logan and a poem read by St Athanasius Primary pupil Esther O’Hara.
The war hero’s grand-daughter Pauline, who lives in Heathrow, said: “It was a lovely service and was very appropriate for the occasion.
“I was quite touched when the stone was unveiled.”
WILLIAM HEANEY celebrates the heroism of a man who was an ordinary footballer and an extraordinary man.
This article originally appeared in Issue 5 of The Football Pink fanzine which was released in August 2014 and was themed ‘War’ to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War.
Seventy one Scots were awarded the Victoria Cross as a result of their heroics during World War I. Ordinary people from across the country performed extraordinary acts of courage, in situations and environments to which nobody should be exposed.
The individuals who conducted these selfless acts, and received the highest military honour, were part of a truly exceptional group. Amongst their number was a footballer.
William Angus was born in 1888 in the village of Armadale, West Lothian. However, while still a youngster, his family moved to the place where he would spend the rest of his life.
Carluke is a small town in South Lanarkshire less than 20 miles south-east of Glasgow. While now containing a largely commuter population, weaving was originally the main line of work in what was once a small village. However, the industrial revolution saw Carluke develop into a mining town with coal, iron and lime all being sourced in the area. It’s unsurprising then that, after leaving school at fourteen years old, young Angus followed in his father’s footsteps and became a coal miner at the local colliery.
For most young miners, their future was very clear – decades of long shifts below ground, carrying out physically exhausting work, the demands of which weren’t reflected in their wage. There were also the everyday risks of flooding, fire and over-exposure to harmful, potentially fatal, gases. Serious injury and even death were all too common occurrences.
Unlike the majority of his contemporaries however, Angus had a potential escape route from life in the pit. After starting out as an amateur player with Carluke Rovers, he then moved into the professional ranks. Celtic, in 1912, were a team in transition. Their run of six straight league titles – still the second most successful run in the club’s history – had been ended by Rangers. Despite Scottish Cup wins in 1911 and 1912, failure in the league meant that improvements were needed.
In charge at the time was the legendary Willie Maley. The club’s first ever manager, Sligo-born Maley would lead the club to 30 trophies in a remarkable 43-year reign as manager. He was the antithesis of the modern manager, taking no involvement in training, not conducting pre or post-match team talks and informing players of starting line-ups via the press.
During the early years of their existence, Celtic had recruited new talent by purchasing players from rival clubs. Maley, however, had a different approach, instead introducing youngsters from junior football. Shortly before Angus arrived at the club, another promising young player had started to make his mark in the first-team.
Patsy Gallacher was a slightly built winger who would go on to achieve legendary status, winning seven league titles and becoming the sixth highest goalscorer in Celtic’s history. He is also famous for his goal against Dundee in the 1925 Scottish Cup final, where he somersaulted over the opposition line with the ball between his feet.
Unfortunately for Angus, he didn’t make the same impression as ‘The Mighty Atom’. After two seasons in the east end of Glasgow, he left without making a competitive appearance. Details of his Celtic career are scarce, though there are records of appearances in a friendly against an army team and a fund-raising match against junior opposition. While his inconspicuous spell would have disappointed any ambitious player, it was no disgrace to be kept out of a side that contained Gallacher, and other revered figures such as Jimmy McMenemy and Alec McNair.
Angus returned to the junior ranks, turning out for Wishaw Athletic, where he was made captain. His time there would be short-lived though, as world events began to dominate everyday lives.Givenchy-les-la-Basse is a small village in northern France, approximately twenty miles from Lille. Despite having a population of less than 1,000, it is a community that felt the impact of two world wars, with the village being decimated during both conflicts.
It was there that Lance-Corporal William Angus found himself during the summer of 1915, as part of ‘D’ Company 8th Royal Scots. Just 70 yards separated the young troops from their German counterparts. Despite having been able to force the opposition back, the British forces were hampered by the positioning of the Germans, at the top of a small embankment.
The situation was unchanged for several weeks before it was decided that a bombing raid would be launched to force the enemy from their position. On the evening of 11th June, a team led by Lt James Martin carried out the dangerous operation. However, their efforts were in vain – the Germans had anticipated such an attack and detonated a large bomb, blowing a hole in the embankment and causing the British to retreat.
Once back in the relative safety of a trench, it was realised that Lt Martin had not returned. His plight was confirmed the next morning when he was seen lying close to the Germans. Some movement meant that he was still alive but there was outrage when Martin asked the enemy for water and instead a grenade was thrown at him.
Angus volunteered to launch a rescue attempt but his request was denied by senior officers. However, he was insistent. Martin was also from Carluke and Angus felt that he couldn’t return there having left someone from his home town to die. Eventually, his superiors relented and granted him permission to try and bring Martin back, though he was warned that he was setting himself up for almost certain death. Angus was unperturbed, stating that it didn’t matter ‘whether death came now or later.’
With a rope tied around his waist, Angus set out on his mission to rescue his injured comrade. After arriving undetected at his intended target, he removed the rope and tied it around Martin. He then managed to raise him up and started on the journey back. At some point on that return, the Germans became aware of what was happening and the two men came under a hail of bombs and bullets. Angus, who had resorted to lifting Martin, was felled several times, but on each occasion rose to his feet and continued.
While his actions up to this point were nothing short of remarkable, Angus then displayed even less regard for his own safety. As other troops pulled Martin to safety, he set off at a right angle, the hope being that the opposing forces would be distracted by his actions, allowing his stricken colleague to reach the trench without any more wounds.
It was the ultimate decoy run. This time, however, instead of defenders tracking his movement it was armed soldiers, the roar of the crowd replaced by the sound of gunfire and explosions.When he eventually returned to safe territory, he collapsed. He had received forty different wounds, some of which cost him his left eye and part of his right foot.
After two months of recovery in a French hospital, Angus returned to the UK and was given the Victoria Cross from King George V at Buckingham Palace – he was the first Scottish territorial soldier to receive the award. After being nominated for the honour, there was little doubt that he would be a worthy recipient. The commanding officer at Givenchy, Lt. Colonel Gemmill, commented that, ‘No braver deed was ever done in the history of the British Army.’An even greater welcome awaited him on his return to Scotland. The people of Carluke were naturally delighted to greet their returning hero, and the football community were equally rapturous in their reception. In one day, Angus attended Glasgow Cup semi-final matches hosted by both Celtic and Rangers. He received standing ovations at each venue, one of those all too few occasions where respect and human dignity were able to overcome the hatred which has blighted the Scottish game.
Football, like every other section of society, had to come to terms with significant loss. Players, former players, officials and, of course, fans perished in huge numbers. Most notably, amongst the fatalities were the players of Heart of Midlothian.
During the 1914/15 season, Hearts were the team to beat. After only one defeat in their first sixteen league games, they were on course to win only their second championship. However, in effect, they sacrificed the trophy to help with the war effort.Towards the end of 1914, businessman and former MP, Sir George McCrae, called on men from the Edinburgh area to join his battalion, the 16th Royal Scots. The Hearts squad immediately signed up, the first football club to do so. Their actions not only encouraged Hearts fans to follow their heroes and volunteer, it was also the perfect response to public criticism of the club, for continuing to play matches while other young men of their generation were dying on foreign soil. One letter to an Edinburgh newspaper had suggested that if the players weren’t prepared to fight, then the club should consider changing its name to ‘The White Feathers of Midlothian.’
The actions of the players at Tynecastle also encouraged players and supporters from other clubs to join MacCrae’s Battalion. Hibernian, Falkirk, Dunfermline and Raith Rovers were also represented in what was the first ‘footballer’s battalion’.It’s hardly surprising that Hearts suffered on the field on play. The combination of military training and competing for a league title proved too much and they were eventually overtaken by Celtic. Indeed, on one occasion, they lost to Morton after arriving shortly before kick-off, having only just completed night manoeuvres.
Missing out on silverware however, means very little when considering that seven Hearts players did not return from the Great War.
The injuries Angus sustained on French soil meant that he was unable to return to playing football or coal mining. Instead he found work as Master of Works at the Racecourse Betting Control Board in Carluke and later ran a goods carrier business. He also served as a Justice of the Peace.
In 1917, he married Mary Nugent. They would go on to have five children. Angus also remained involved in the game in an alternative capacity, being appointed President of Carluke Rovers.
James Martin also returned to Carluke and he would never forget the man who had saved his life. Every year, on the date he was rescued by Angus, Martin would send his friend a telegram. The message would never change, reading ‘Congratulations on the 12th.’ It was a simple gesture, but one which would mean a great deal to two men who formed a bond that few people could understand. After Martin passed away in 1956, his brother carried on the tradition.
William Angus died in 1959, two days after the 44th anniversary of his great deed. He is buried in Carluke and remains one of the most important figures in the town’s history – a man who wanted to be successful playing the game he loved, but through circumstances beyond his control, was to make a significantly greater contribution to the world.
He may have been an average footballer, but he was an exceptional human being.WILLIAM HEANEY – @midfieldveteranhttp://midfieldveteran.wordpress.com/
Celtic star’s VC glory | Glasgow Times
15 November 2022
09:39
Clipped from : https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/13281595.celtic-stars-vc-glory/
Former Celtic player Willie Angus, still bearing the scars of his brave rescue, was the first Scottish Territorial to win the VC. He received a hero’s welcome from Lord Newlands, left, on his return to Carluke
CELTIC footballer Willie Angus is a Hoops legend who found world wide fame on the battlefields of France.
He cheated death to save the life of a wounded friend and comrade and became the first Scottish Territorial Army soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross.
Willie was born in Armadale, West Lothian, but his family later moved to the South Lanarkshire town of Carluke where he lived for the rest of his life.
He left school and became a miner in the local coalfields but had a passion for football.
He was captain of Wishaw Thistle but left the junior team to sign for Celtic in 1912.
But he had only made one first team appearance when war broke out two years later.
Willie decided to enlist in the army after Sergeant Major George Caven of the Highland Light Infantry held a recruitment drive in Carluke.
Another local lad, James Martin, also decided to volunteer.
Both were sent to a training camp at Dunoon after joining the Territorial Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry.
They completed their training only to discover there would be a delay before both would see action against the Germans.
That didn’t please either of them so they volunteered to be attached to the 8th Royal Scots, who were due to head to the Western Front within days.
It wasn’t long before they experienced the horrors of trench warfare on the blood-soaked battlefields of France.
The two were separated when Willie suffered bullet wounds and had to be treated in a base hospital.
Their reunion weeks later would be s tranger than fiction and make headlines around the world.
Lance Corporal Willie Angus was sent back to the front where D Company of the 8th Royal Scots was encamped in a trench on the outskirts of Givenchy La Basse, a village in northern France.
Just 70 yards separated him from the enemy.
For weeks the Germans had been pushed back and were dug in on a small embankment known as Point 14 which overlooked No Man’s Land.
It was the summer of 1915 and commanders decided to send a small bombing party to attack the German position in the dead of night.
Their orders were to try to cause confusion in the hope that Point 14 could be stormed and taken.
Instead the Germans scuppered the attempt by detonating a large mine which had been buried underground.
The blast created a 15 feet wide crater and forced the Scots party to retreat to their trenches.
But Lieutenant James Martin was discovered missing. When dawn came he was spotted lying motionless on the embankment close to enemy machine guns.
Later he stirred and was close to the Germans he pleaded to them for a drink of water.
Instead an enemy soldier throw a hand grenade at him. Watching British troops were outraged. Word got to Willie Angus who immediately volunteer to mount a rescue. Senior officers refused.
Eventually he was allowed to proceed but warned he faced almost certain death. Willie replied it didn’t matter since death would come to him “now or later”.
A rope was died around his waste so that he could be dragged back if killed or seriously wounded.
But the footballer turned soldier reached James Martin without being spotted by the enemy after crawling along the ground.
The first thing he then did was remove the rope and tie round Martin. Willie then sat his pal up and gave him a sip of brandy.
Minutes later Willie raised Martin to his feet and, through a hail of German bullets and hand grenades, began carrying him across No Man’s Land in a desperate bid to reach the safety of the British trenches.
Time and again Willie slumped to the ground wounded.
Time and again he got to his feet again to continue his death defying rescue.
Dust clouds created by the bombs made it difficult for the German snipers but shrapnel from the grenades caused several injuries to Willie, who shielded Martin.
Watching British troops eventually pulled Martin to safety while his bravest of friends headed further down the trench to draw the German fire.
Incredibly Willie reached safety but he had sustained at least 40 separate injuries and medics were unable to save his left eye and had to remove part of his right foot.
Lieutenant Colonel James Dunlop Gemmill, his commanding officer later wrote: “No braver deed was every done in the history of the British Army.”
Willie was presented with the Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace by King George V on August 30, 1915.
The King spoke at length to him and even insisted Willie’s father, who was waiting in a palace ante-room join them in the main hall to witness the medal ceremony.
Celtic club secretary William Maley wrote a personal letter to the soldier’s proud dad.
He wrote: “I beg to offer you, on behalf of my club, and personally, our sincerest congratulations on the brilliant achievement of your son, Willie.
“That he may come back to you all safe and sound is now our most earnest prayer, and we trust that you may all be long spared to each other to happy and prosperous days.
“I can safely say that no club ever had a more willing or conscientious player, and one who always showed by his cleanness that fine spirit which has in his army life enabled him to do the deed which has earned him a world’s acclamation.”
The former Celtic midfielder was given a hero’s welcome when he returned to Carluke.
Celtic and Rangers were playing home games in the semi finals of the Glasgow Cup and both sets of fans applauded his bravery.
Willie and was repeatedly invited to major football matches and given the VIP treatment.
He became president of Carluke Rovers and held that position until his death on June 14, 1959.
But his memory lives on.
A local street in Carluke, Angus Road, carries his name to this day.
gordon.thomson@eveningtimes.co.uk