| White | G S | | General | Entered 1853. Lieutenant General, 1895. Staff service: Military Secretary to Viceroy, India, 1880-81; Special Service, Egypt, 1885; AA and QMG, Egypt, 1885; Brigadier General, Madras, 1885; Commanding Brigade, Burmese Expedition 1885-86; Commanding Upper Burmah Field Force, 1886-89; Major General, Bengal, 1889-93; Commander in Chief, E Indies, 1893-98; QMG Headquarters of Army, 1898-99; Lieutenant General, Natal, 1899-1900; Governor and Commander in Chief, Gibraltar, July 1900. War service: Indian Mutiny (medal); Afghan War, 1879-80 (Despatches; medal with 3 clasps; bronze star; Brevet of Lieutenant Colonel; VC, CB); Sudan Expedition 1884-85 (medal with clasp; bronze star); Burmese Expedition 1885-89 (thanked by Govt. of India; Despatches; KCB; promoted Major General); Operations of Zhob Field Force, 1890 (Despatches); Operations NW Frontier of India (Despatches); Boer War, 1899-1900; GOC Natal Field Force. Sir George White, born in 1835, was the son of Mr J R White and the daughter of Mr G Steuart. He married in 1874 Miss Bayley, daughter of the Archdeacon of Calcutta. Before the Afghan War General White was comparatively unknown, but after that date honours rained thickly upon him. From the outset Lord Roberts had noted his splendid ability, and in “Forty-one Years in India" he showed his readiness to recognise how much of the success of the victory of Charasiah he owed to his gallant subordinate. The following passage serves to show the generosity of the one, and the gallantry of the other: “Major White explained to me his part in the victory of the previous day. From my inspection of the ground I had no difficulty in coming to the conclusion that much of the success which attended the operations on this side was due to White's military instincts, and, at one supreme moment, his extreme personal gallantry. It afforded me very great pleasure, therefore, to recommend this officer for the Victoria Cross, an honour of which more than one incident in his subsequent career proved him to be well worthy”. In the prosaic language of the London Gazette the "supreme moment" is thus described: “Finding that the artillery and rifle fire failed to dislodge the enemy from a fortified hill, which it was necessary to capture, Major White led an attack upon it in person. Advancing with two companies of his regiment, and climbing from one steep ledge to another, he came upon a body of the enemy, strongly posted, and outnumbering his force by about eight to one. His men being much exhausted, and immediate action being necessary, Major White took a rifle and, going on by himself, shot the leader of the enemy. This act so intimidated the rest that they fled round the side of the hill, and the position was won”. The "gallant and ever-foremost Major White", was again eulogised by the conqueror of Kandahar, who wrote in-spiritingly of the intrepidity with which he and the dauntless Gordons dashed themselves against the one remaining entrenched position: “It now became necessary to take this position by storm, and recognising the fact with true soldierly instinct, Major White, who was leading the advanced companies of the 92nd, called upon the men for just one charge more, 'to close the business.' The battery of screw guns had been shelling the position, and under cover of its fire, and supported by a portion of the 2nd Gurkhas and 23rd Pioneers, the Highlanders, responding with alacrity to their leader's call, dashed forward and drove the enemy from their entrenchments at the point of the bayonet. Major White was the first to reach the guns, being closely followed by Sepoy Inderbir Lama, who, placing his rifle on one of them, exclaimed. 'Captured in the name of the 2nd (Prince of Wales's Own) Gurkhas!"
VC GCB GCSI GCIE GCVO. RHQ.
Source: List of GCMG recipients. Various sources | Staff |
