William Anderson Bloomfield (30 January 1873-12 May 1954) was a Scottish 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. He was 43 years old, and a captain in the Scout Corps, 2nd South African Mounted Brigade, South African Forces during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 24 August 1916 at Mlali, Tanganyika (now Tanzania), when consolidating his new position after being heavily attacked and being forced to retire, Captain Bloomfield found that one of the wounded - a corporal - had not been evacuated with the rest. At considerable personal risk the captain went back over 400 yards of ground swept by machine-gun and rifle fire and managed to reach the wounded man and bring him back to safety. Also considered South African. He later achieved the rank of major. His Victoria Cross is no longer displayed at the National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg. It was removed from the museum several years ago, and is kept in a place of safety by the family. He is buried in the cemetery in Ermelo, South Africa
References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
