Captain White won the Victoria Cross during World War One for a sustained act of bravery over a period of 4 days. the citation reads:
During the period 27 Sep to 1 Oct 1916 at Stuff Redoubt, France, Captain White was in command of the troops which held the southern and western faces of a redoubt. For four days and nights, by skilful disposition he held the position under heavy fire of all kinds and against several counter-attacks. Although short of supplies and ammunition, his determination never wavered and when the enemy attacked in greatly superior numbers, and had almost ejected our troops from the redoubt, he personally led a counter attack which finally cleared the enemy out of the southern and western faces.
Archie Cecil Thomas White was born on 5 Oct 1891, the elder of two sons of Thomas and Jean White of Norwood House, Langthorpe near Boroughbridge, North Yorkshire. Archie was educated at Harrogate Grammar School, the same school as fellow Green Howard and VC winner, Donald Bell. Archie won a scholarship to study English Literature at King’s College London. He graduated in 1912 and became a teacher at Westminster School.
When war broke out he was given a commission in the Yorkshire Regiment on 14 Oct 1914. He was made a temporary lieutenant in the 6th Battalion on 10 Dec 1914, and a Temporary Captain on 1 July 1915 before the battalion sailed to Gallipoli. His younger brother, 2nd Lt J F White was killed in a night assault on Lala Baba at Sulva Bay, on 6/7 Aug 1915, while Archie was sick with dysentery. After the failure of Gallipoli the battalion went to France where Captain White carried out his brave actions from 27 Sep to 1 Oct 1916 which brought him the VC. The award was gazetted on 26 Oct 1916. He was also mentioned in despatches and wounded twice.
In 1917 he became a staff officer and his appointments and movements were as follows:
1917 His VC presented to him by King George V at Hyde Park, 2 Jun.
1917 Staff officer (GSO3) in France, 30 June.
1918 Brigade Major, 28 Mar.
1918 Awarded MC, gazetted 3 Jun.
1919 Archangel (Russia) Relief Force, 29 May - 5 Oct.
1920 Relinquished his commission in the Green Howards, 13 Nov
1920 Joined Army Education Corps, 25 Nov. Rank of Major.
1921 Instructor at Sandhurst, until 1925
1925 Commandant of Queen Victoria’s School, Dunblane
1929 Returned to Sandhurst to be Senior AEC Instructor
1933 Tours of duty in India and Burma
1939 Joined Cypher Office as lieutenant-colonel
1940 Education Officer Northern, Southern and AA Commands
1943 Chief Education Officer 21st Army Group
1945 Mentioned in Despatches, 9 Aug.
1945 Served in SE Asia
1947 Retired with rank of Colonel, 17 Nov.
1948 Principal, City Literary Institute
1953 Member of the Senate of the London University
1954 Fellow of King’s College, London
1960 Deputy Commandant of Royal Army Education Corps
1971 Died on 20 May, aged 80
He was married to Jean Will, and they had three daughters, two of whom were twins.They lived at Bruckley, Upper Park Road, Camberley. Jean sadly died in 1960 after a long painful illness. Whilst working as deputy commandant of the RAEC he wrote a book called The Story of Army Education 1643-1963. After his death in 1971 he was cremated at Brookwood, Woking and his ashes scattered at Tennyson Lake Garden. His extensive array of medals can be seen at the Regimental Museum, Richmond.
