Hugh McIver

Who was Hugh McIver?

Hugh McIver VC MM & Bar was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 28 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 23 August 1918 east of Courcelle-le Compte, France, Private McIver was employed as a company-runner and under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire carried messages regardless of his own safety. Single-handed he pursued an enemy scout into a machine-gun post and having killed six of the garrison, captured 20 prisoners and two machine-guns. Later he succeeded, at great personal risk, in stopping the fire of a British tank which was directed in error against our own troops. He was killed in action 10 days later.

He was killed in action, near Courcelles, France, on 2 September 1918.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Scots Museum, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland.