Stewart Walter Loudoun - Shand Major Stewart Walter Loudoun - Shand VC ( 8 October 1879 – 1 July 1916 ) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces . Early life . He was born in Ceylon but moved to South London for his schooling , he lived at 27 Alleyn Park Road Dulwich , and attended Dulwich College between 1891 and 1897 where he excelled at sport , especially Cricket . He was one of the ten children of John Loudoun Shand and his wife Lucy , and was the second of the five brothers . His father , who originated from Scotland , adopted his middle name Loudoun as the first part of a double - barrelled surname , and all members of the family followed suit . His father , John Loudoun Loudoun - Shand ( died 2 February 1932 at Craigellie , Alleyn Park , Dulwich . Aged 86 years ) was a prominent plantation owner in what was then called Ceylon . Arriving in the Island in 1864 Mr . Loudoun - Shand did a lot of planting chiefly in the Dimbula and Dickoya districts and in 1879 and 1880 was elected Chairman of the Planters ' Association of Ceylon in what was a difficult period . Known as " Silver - tongued Shand " due to his oratory prowess , in 1882 and 1884 he was Planting Member of the Legislative Council . He was also an Honorary Life Member of the Ceylon Association in London . Stewart ' s mother died in September 1930 in Ceylon . She had travelled there in 1872 to be married . Along with his four brothers , he attended Dulwich College . His eldest brother , William , followed his father into the planting business . Alexander , the third brother , became a Commander in the Royal Australian Navy and was the head of the Royal Australian Naval College . The youngest of the five brothers , Eric Loudoun - Shand was a rugby union international and recipient of the Military Cross . The fourth of Stewart ' s four brothers was C . B . Loudoun - Shand who resided Delta , Pussellawa for a while . He was known as ' Bosun ' Loudoun - Shand and was the Colonel of the volunteer force ' The Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps ' . Stewart himself had begun his military career early . When the Second Boer War broke out in 1899 he immediately volunteered and served with the Pembroke Yeomanry as a lance corporal in South Africa . Victoria Cross . He was 36 years old , and a temporary major in the 10th Battalion , The Yorkshire Regiment ( Alexandra , Princess of Wales ' s Own ) , British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC . On 1 July 1916 near Fricourt , France , when Major Loudoun - Shand ' s company attempted to climb over the parapet to attack the enemy ' s trenches , they were met by very fierce machine - gun fire which temporarily stopped their progress . The major immediately leapt on the parapet , helped the men over it and encouraged them in every way until he was mortally wounded . Even then , he insisted on being propped up in the trench and went on encouraging his men until he died . He is commemorated at nearby West Norwood Cemetery , and buried at Norfolk Cemetery , Becordel - Becourt CWGC near the Somme His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum , London .