William Manley

William manley

William George Nicholas Manley (17 December 1831 – 16 November 1901) was a British Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He also received the Iron Cross from the German Empire for his services during the Franco-Prussian War.

Early Life[edit | edit source]

William Manley was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was educated at King's College London and later at St George's Hospital, where he qualified as a surgeon.

Military Career[edit | edit source]

Manley joined the British Army as an assistant surgeon in 1854. He served in the Crimean War and later in the New Zealand Wars, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the assault on the Gate Pā on 29 April 1864. Despite being severely wounded, he continued to attend to the injured under heavy fire.

Victoria Cross Citation[edit | edit source]

The citation for his Victoria Cross reads:

For his conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty at the assault on the Gate Pā, Tauranga, New Zealand, on 29 April 1864, when he attended to the wounded under heavy fire, and although severely wounded himself, continued to perform his duties.

Later Career and Honors[edit | edit source]

After his service in New Zealand, Manley served in the Franco-Prussian War as a volunteer with the British Ambulance Corps. For his services, he was awarded the Iron Cross by the German Emperor. He later served in various medical capacities within the British Army until his retirement in 1884.