Education
English was educated at Harvey Grammar School in Folkstone, Kent from 1894 to 1898 and Campbell College, Belfast from 1898 to 1899.
English was educated at Harvey Grammar School in Folkstone, Kent from 1894 to 1898 and Campbell College, Belfast from 1898 to 1899.
The following year he went to South Africa and in November joined the Scottish Horse, a locally raised South African regiment. He served in the ranks until he was commissioned in March 1901. He was 18 years old, and a lieutenant in the 2nd The Scottish Horse during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 3 July 1901 at Vlakfontein, South Africa, for which he was awarded the Venture capital: This Officer with five men was holding the right of a position at Vlakfontein on the 3rd July, 1901, during an attack by the Boers.
Two of his men were killed and two wounded, but the position was still held, largely owing to Lieutenant English"s personal pluck.
When the ammunition ran short he went over to the next party and obtained more. To do this he had to cross some 15 yards of open ground under a heavy fire at a range of from 20 to 30 yards.
English received the Victoria Cross in person from King Edward VII in July 1902. He was commissioned in the Royal Army Service Corps in 1906 from the 2nd Dragoon Guards.
He saw action in three major wars (Second Boer War, World War I and World World War World War II He died of a cerebral haemorrhage, on board a ship near Egypt, on active service with the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1941.
He is buried in Maala Cemetery, Aden (now Yemen).