War hero honoured in ceremony
A ceremony to honour Old Tonbridgian Major Eric Stuart Dougall VC MC, Royal Field Artillery, who was awarded the Victoria Cross exactly one hundred years ago, took place on Saturday (14 April).
The Lord Lieutenant of Kent, Viscount De L’Isle, performed the unveiling of a special paving stone, near the War Memorial in Tunbridge Wells, to commemorate Major Dougall’s heroic deeds in the First World War.
Those attending included Tim Haynes, Tonbridge School’s Headmaster, Lt Col Chris Coton, Commanding Officer 16th Regiment, Royal Artillery, and David Walsh, Chairman of the Old Tonbridgian Society.
Other guests included representatives from areas of Major Dougall’s life, including CCF cadets from Tonbridge School, soldiers from 16th Regiment, Royal Artillery, and a Fellow of Pembroke College Cambridge, where he studied after Tonbridge.
Major Dougall was born in Tunbridge Wells on 13 April 1886 and died on 14 April 1918 at Kemmel in Belgium. He is buried in the Westouter British Military Cemetery. When he won his Victoria Cross he was 31 years old, and an Acting Captain in the Special Reserve, Royal Field Artillery.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery and skilful leadership in the field when in command of his battery at Messines, Belgium, in April 1918.
The stone is one of a number of commemorative pavers that have been laid in towns across the country since 2014, as part of the government’s First World War Centenary Campaign. As part of this campaign, Victoria Cross recipients are being honoured with a paving stone laid in their home town.
