HOUSE, WILLIAM,
Private, was born on 7 October 1879, at Park Lane, Thatcham, Berkshire, the
son of Mr Thomas House, of that place. He entered into the Royal Berkshire
Regiment on 3 November 1896. His Victoria Cross was gazetted on his
twenty-third birthday, 7 October 1902, and he was decorated by King Edward
VII on 24 October 1902, in London. He also received both the Queen's and
King's Medals, with clasps. [London Gazette, 7 October 1902]: "William
House, Private, 2nd Battalion The Royal Berkshire Regiment. Date of
Act of Bravery: 2 August 1900. During the attack on Mosilikatse Nek, on the
2nd August 1900, when a sergeant, who had gone forward to reconnoitre, was
wounded, Private House rushed out from cover (though cautioned not to do so,
as the fire from the enemy was very hot), picked up the wounded sergeant,
and endeavoured to bring him into shelter, in doing which Private House was
himself severely wounded. He, however, warned his comrades not to come to
his assistance, the fire being so severe. The grant of the Medal for
Distinguished Conduct in the Field to Private House, which was notified in
the London Gazette of the 27th September 1901, is hereby cancelled". He
died by his own hand at Dover, when apparently cleaning his rifle, 28
February 1912, shooting himself through the head, in which he had been
already twice wounded at the time when he won the Victoria Cross.
