William Manley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William Manley
Born	(1831-12-17)17 December 1831 Dublin, Ireland
Died	16 November 1901(1901-11-16) (aged 69) Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Surgeon General
Unit	Royal Regiment of Artillery Royal Army Medical Corps
Battles/wars	Crimean War New Zealand Wars Franco-Prussian War Second Anglo-Afghan War Anglo-Egyptian War
Awards	Victoria Cross Companion of the Order of the Bath Iron Cross, 2nd Class (Prussia)

Surgeon General William George Nicholas Manley (17 December 1831 – 16 November 1901) was a brave officer and doctor in the British Army. He received the Victoria Cross (VC), which is the highest award for courage in battle given to British and Commonwealth soldiers. He was also given awards from other countries. He is the only person to have received both the VC and the Iron Cross, a famous German medal.

Early Life

William Manley was born in Dublin, Ireland, on December 17, 1831. His father was a reverend, and his mother's father was a doctor in the army. William went to school at Blackheath Proprietary School. In 1851, he became a member of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, which meant he was a qualified surgeon.

Military Career

In 1854, William Manley joined the army as a doctor. He worked with the Royal Regiment of Artillery during the Crimean War. He was present during the Siege of Sevastopol. Later, his regiment was sent to New Zealand.

His Victoria Cross Award

When he was 32 years old, William Manley was an assistant surgeon during the Waikato-Hauhau Maori War in New Zealand. On April 29, 1864, near Tauranga, he showed amazing bravery during an attack on a rebel pā (a fortified Māori village) called Gate Pā. This is why he received the Victoria Cross:

He risked his own life to save others during the attack on the rebel village near Tauranga. He had volunteered to go with the soldiers into the village. When Commander Hay of the Royal Navy was badly wounded, Manley stayed with him. Then, he bravely volunteered to go back into the village to look for more wounded soldiers. He was one of the last officers to leave the village.

He also served in other battles in New Zealand and was praised for his actions. Because of his excellent service, he was promoted to staff surgeon.

Later Service

In 1870, when the Franco-Prussian War started, William Manley joined the British Ambulance Corps. He worked with the Prussian Army, helping wounded soldiers. He was at several battles and received the Iron Cross (second class) from the German Crown Prince. This award was for his work caring for wounded soldiers during battles in December 1870.

Later, in 1878-1879, he served in the Second Anglo-Afghan War. In 1882, he was in Egypt for the Anglo-Egyptian War. He was the main medical officer for a division of soldiers and was present at the Battle of Tel el-Kebir. After this war, he was promoted again to Deputy Surgeon-General.

Later Life and Retirement

William Manley was given the special title of Surgeon General. He retired from the army in 1884 and received a special pension for his distinguished service. After retiring, he was made a Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John of Jerusalem and a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He passed away in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, on November 16, 1901.

Family

William Manley married Miss M. E. Darton. They had one daughter and five sons. Sadly, one of his sons, Lieutenant G. E. D. Manley, died while serving in China shortly before his father passed away.

Awards and Honours

A blue plaque in Cheltenham honours William Manley VC.

William Manley received 18 medals from different countries. He is famous for being the only person to receive both the Victoria Cross (from the United Kingdom) and the Iron Cross (from Prussia, which later became part of Germany).

Here are some of his important awards:

Ribbon	Description	Notes
	Crimea Medal	Awarded in 1855 Includes a clasp for Sebastopol
	Victoria Cross (VC)	Awarded on September 23, 1864 For extreme bravery in battle
	Afghanistan Medal	Awarded in 1879
	Egypt Medal	Awarded in 1882 Includes a bar for Tel-El-Kebir
	Order of the Bath	Awarded in 1894 Companion level (CB)
	Order of St John	Awarded in 1894 Knight of Grace level (KStJ)
	Iron Cross	Awarded in 1871 2nd Class, for non-combatants (like doctors)
	War Commemorative Medal of 1870/71	Awarded in 1871 Made of steel for non-combatants
	Military Merit Order (Bavaria)	Awarded in 1871
	Order of Osmanieh	Awarded in 1880 Third class
	Khedive's Star	Awarded in 1882

While in New Zealand, he also received a bronze medal from the Royal Humane Society. This was for saving a man from drowning. After the siege of Paris, he received the Cross of the Société française de secours aux blessés militaires (French Red Cross Society).

His medals are now on display at the medals gallery of Firepower - The Royal Artillery Museum in Woolwich, London.