Col. Guy George Egerton Wylly, VC, CB, DSO

Guy George Egerton Wylly, VC, CB, DSO (17 February 1880 – 9 January 1962) was a senior British Indian Army officer and an Australian 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, for actions during the Second Boer War.

Citation:

Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen, Lieutenant Guy G. E. Wylly On the 1st September, 1900, near Warm Bad, Lieutenant Wylly was with the advanced scouts of a foraging party. They were passing through a narrow gorge, very rocky and thickly wooded, when the enemy in force suddenly opened fire at short range from hidden cover, wounding six out of the party of eight, including Lieutenant Wylly. That Officer, seeing that one of his men was badly wounded in the leg, and that his horse was shot, went back to the man's assistance, made him take his (Lieutenant Wylly's) horse, and opened fire from behind a rock to cover the retreat of the others, at the imminent risk of being cut off himself. Colonel T. E. Hickman, D.S.O., considers that the gallant conduct of Lieutenant Wylly saved Corporal Brown from being killed or captured, and that his subsequent action in firing to cover the retreat was "instrumental in saving others of his men from death or capture."

His medal is on display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart.

Biographies:

• Wikipedia contributors, 'Guy Wylly', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
• A. J. Sweeting, 'Wylly, Guy George Egerton (1880–1962)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University

WYLLY, GUY GEORGE EGERTON, Lieutenant, was born 17 February 1880, at Hobart, Tasmania, son of Major Edward Arthur Egerton Wylly (109th Regiment and Madras Staff Corps) and Henrietta Mary, daughter of Robert Clerk, (of West Holme, Somerset, and Sergeant-at-Arms to the House of Assembly, Hobart, Tasmania). He was educated at Hutchins' School, Tasmania, and at St Peter's College, Adelaide, South Australia, and became a Lieutenant in the Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen on 26 April, 1900, serving in the South African War; was twice wounded, once slightly and once dangerously; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 23 November 1900]: "Guy G E Wylly, Lieutenant, Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen. On the 1st September 1900, near Warm Bad, Lieutenant Wylly was with the advanced scouts of a foraging party. They were passing through a narrow gorge, very rocky and thickly wooded, when the enemy in force suddenly opened fire at short range from hidden cover, wounding six out of the party of eight, including Lieutenant Wylly. That officer, seeing that one of his men was badly wounded in the leg, and that his horse was shot, went back to the man's assistance, made him take his (Lieutenant Wylly's) horse, and opened fire from behind a rock to cover the retreat of the others, at the imminent risk of being cut off himself. Colonel T E Hickman, DSO, considers that, the gallant conduct of Lieutenant Wylly saved Corporal Brown from being killed or captured, and that his subsequent action in firing to cover the retreat was 'instrumental in saving others of his men from death or capture'". He was gazetted Second Lieutenant, The Royal Berkshire Regiment , dated 19 May 1900; was transferred and gazetted Second Lieutenant, The South Lancashire Regiment, dated 5 November 1900; joined the 2nd Battalion The South Lancashire Regiment at Jubbulpore, India, 4 December 1901; was transferred to the Indian Army and gazetted to the 46th Punjabis 1 October 1902; transferred to the Queen's Own Corps of Guides 11 February 1904. He was ADC to Lord Kitchener, Commander in Chief in India, from December 1904 to September 1909; officiated as ADC to Lieutenant General Sir James Willcocks, Commanding the Northern Army, India, September 1915 to February 1916; was nominated to the Staff College, Quetta, in 1914, by Sir O'Moore Creagh, Commander-in-Chief in India. He was appointed Staff Captain, Mhow Cavalry Brigade, 11 November 1914; appointed Brigade Major, Mhow Cavalry Brigade, 15 September 1915; appointed GSO2, 4th Division, BEF, 20 June, 1913; appointed GSO2, 3rd Australian Division, 19 July, 1916; appointed GSO2, 1st Anzac Corps, in February 1917. Major Wylly was wounded at Authoille in August 1915; was mentioned in Despatches in June 1916, and June 1917. He had the Delhi Durbar Medal (1911).

[Source: http://www.angloboerwar.com/VC/wylly_g.htm ]

"On the 1st September 1900, when a foraging party was near Warm Bad, Lieutenant Wylly was one of the advanced scouts. While passing through a narrow and thickly-wooded defile, they were suddenly fired upon, at a very short range, by the Boers. Being well hidden by the trees, it was impossible for the enemy to be exactly located, or for our men to fire with any effect ; and, being much exposed, six, including Lieutenant Wylly, were hit, out of the little party of eight. Corporal Brown was badly hurt in the leg, and his horse shot, seeing which, though wounded himself, Wylly went to the man's assistance, helped him up on to his own horse, and took shelter behind some boulders, from which he opened a sharp fire on the enemy to cover the retreat of the rest of his party.

Colonel Hickman, D.S.O. (Worcestershire Regiment), reports that Wylly's brave action saved Brown from being killed or taken prisoner, and, in firing to cover the retreat of the rest, at the grave risk of being himself cut off, he was the means of saving others of his party from a similar fate.

Born in 1883, Lieutenant Wylly is the son of Major E. Wylly, late Leinster Regiment and Indian Staff Corps, and grandson of the late Mr. Robert Clerk, of Westholme, Somerset, and Sergeant-at-Arms to the House of Assembly, Hobart, Tasmania. Has been gazetted to the Royal Berkshire Regiment."

[Source: http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/vc_victoria_cross/guy_george_egert...]

Major G. G. E. Wylly. V.C.. DS.O.. who was recently appointed military secretary to Field Marshal Sir William Birdwood, Commander-in-Chief in India is the third Australian to join Sir William’s staff. A Tasmanian by birth, he served with the Tasmanian Bushmen during the South African War; and won the Victoria Cross at Warmbad on September 1, 1900. During the latter portion of the struggle he was A.D.C to Lord Kitchener. He has been in India for 20 years, with the exception of a period of service in the Great War. Major Wylly is a son of the late Major Wyly (Indian Army) and Mrs. Wylly, who was a daughter of the late Mr. Robert Clerk, of Tasmania, and sister of Lt. Colonel R. M. Clerk, D.L., Assistant Adjutant-General Madras Army (1883-1888), and, Mr. Albert Clerk, of Perth:

PERSONAL. (1925, December 2). The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879-1954), p. 8. Retrieved January 3, 2011, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article31895117