A SPECIAL ceremony has taken place to honour a very special soldier from the First World War.
Lance Corporal William Angus won the coveted Victoria Cross for a daring act of heroism. One senior officer said of it: "No braver deed was ever done in all the history of the British Army."
Yesterday, in Carluke, a large crowd assembled in the Market Square as a commemorative paving stone was unveiled to mark the centenary of the deed which led to Lance Corporal Angus being awarded the VC for bravery.
He was born in Armadale in 1888 but was raised in Carluke. He worked as a miner, and was also a talented footballer, and signed for Celtic.
In 1914 he signed up with the Highland Light Infantry along with 28 other volunteers from Carluke, among them James Martin, who was later commissioned. Lance Corporal Angus was posted to France and was transferred to the 1st Battalion, 8th Royal Scots.
On the night of June 11, 1915, Lt Martin led a patrol out in 'no-man's land'. His unit aimed to capture a German position in the opposing trenches but was forced to retreat due to heavy machine-gun fire and grenades.
When they returned to their trench, they realised that Lt Martin was missing. At dawn the next day, they spotted him 70 yards away - and just 10 feet from the German trenches. He was alive, but wounded and unable to move.
Their Commanding Officer believed it was far too dangerous to attempt to rescue him.
But Lance Corporal Angus volunteered, as Lt Martin was also a Carluke man. Setting off with 50 feet of rope he reached Lt Martin tied the rope around him but was spotted by the Germans, who shot at them and also threw grenades.
Undeterred, William protected his officer with his own body and but he suffered no fewer than 40 wounds, eventually losing an eye as a result.
As Lt Martin was hauled to safety in his own trenches, William bravely drew enemy fire until his comrade was safe.
Lt. Colonel Gemmill, Officer Commanding at Givenchy, said: "No braver deed was ever done in all the history of the British Army."
That September, Lance Corporal Angus received his VC from King George V at Buckingham Palace.
After the ceremony, he travelled by train to the homecoming in Carluke which brought a crowd of around 20,000.
Lance Corporal Angus died on June 14, 1959, and is buried in the town's Wilton Cemetery. His VC medal is on display at the National War Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.
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