Martins/Glory Boy Cigarettes / Gallaher Ltd./ Thomson & Porteous/Lutin Cigarettes / Cohen, Weenan & Co. - V.C. Heroes - William Angus

1916

Lance-Corporal William Angus, V.C.

4 cards known

No football cards this time, but the only footballer who appeared on cigarette cards after being awarded the highest military honour, the Victoria Cross.

This is what wikipedia has to say about William Angus:

After leaving school he was employed as a miner but was able to find himself a place as a professional footballer at Celtic FC where he made only one appearance in the first team. Released in 1914, he joined Wishaw Thistle, the club he was captaining when war was declared in August. As a member of local Territorial battalion of the Highland Light Infantry, he was mobilised immediately.

On 12 June 1915 at Givenchy-lès-la-Bassée, France, Lance-Corporal Angus voluntarily left his trench under very heavy bomb and rifle fire and rescued a wounded officer who was lying within a few yards of the enemy's position. The lance-corporal had no chance of escaping the enemy's fire when undertaking this gallant deed, and in effecting the rescue he received about 40 wounds, some of them being very serious.

The complete, original article can be found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Angus

Martins / Glory Boy Cigarettes - V.C. Heroes - card no. 21 (the first two illustrations)

Gallaher Ltd. - The Great War - Victoria Cross Heroes - 2nd Series (the third illustration)

Thomson & Porteous / Lutin Cigarettes - V.C. Heroes - card no. 35 (fourth and fifth illustrations)

Cohen, Weenan & Co. - V.C. Heroes (the sixth illustration)