Hugh McIver facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hugh McIver
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|
|---|---|
| Born | 21 June 1890 Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire |
| Died | 2 September 1918 (aged 28) Courcelles, France |
| Buried |
Vraucourt Copse Cemetery, Vaulx-Vraucourt
|
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | The Royal Scots |
| Battles/wars | World War I † |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Military Medal & Bar |
Hugh McIver (born June 21, 1890 – died September 2, 1918) was a very brave Scottish soldier. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for bravery a soldier can get. This special medal is given for amazing courage when facing the enemy. It is awarded to soldiers from the British and Commonwealth forces.
Hugh McIver was 28 years old during World War I. He was a Private in the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Scots (The Lothian Regiment), part of the British Army. He earned his Victoria Cross for an incredible act of bravery.
Contents
A Hero in World War I
An Act of Great Courage
On August 23, 1918, in France, Private McIver was working as a "company-runner." This meant he carried important messages between different parts of his army unit. He did this even though there was heavy artillery and machine-gun fire all around him. He didn't worry about his own safety.
During this time, he saw an enemy scout. Private McIver chased the scout by himself into a machine-gun post. A machine-gun post is a place where soldiers operate machine guns. He bravely fought the enemy soldiers there. He managed to kill six of them. Then, he captured 20 enemy prisoners and took two machine guns.
Stopping Friendly Fire
Later, Private McIver showed his bravery again. A British tank was accidentally firing at its own troops. This was very dangerous for his fellow soldiers. Private McIver took a huge risk and managed to stop the tank's fire. His quick thinking saved many lives.
Sadly, Private McIver was killed in action just 10 days later. He died near Courcelles, France, on September 2, 1918.
Remembering Hugh McIver
Hugh McIver's Victoria Cross medal is now on display. You can see it at the Royal Scots Museum. This museum is located inside Edinburgh Castle in Scotland.
In 2015, a street was named after him in Paisley, Scotland. It is called Hugh McIver Avenue. This helps people remember his incredible bravery and sacrifice.
