Percival Marling


Colonel Sir Percival Scrope Marling, 3rd Baronet, VC, CB, DL was an English British Army officer and 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

Marling was born on 6 March 1861, the son of William Henry Marling. He was educated at Harrow School.

Military career

Marling was commissioned a second lieutenant on 11 August 1880, and promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1881.
He was 23 years old, and a lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, The King's Royal Rifle Corps, British Army, attached Mounted Infantry during the Mahdist War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 13 March 1884 at the Battle of Tamai in the Sudan during the Mahdist War, Lieutenant Marling risked his life to save that of a private of The Royal Sussex Regiment who had been shot. His citation reads:
Marling was promoted to captain on 22 December 1888 and to major on 12 August 1896.
He served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, where in March 1901 he took over the command of the 18th Hussars. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel on 19 February 1902. For his service during the war, he was mentioned in despatches and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the South Africa honours list published on 26 June 1902. After the war ended in June 1902 he returned home on the SS Sicilia, which arrived at Southampton in October 1902, and he received the actual decoration of CB from King Edward VII during an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 24 October 1902.
On 20 October 1903, he was appointed a deputy lieutenant of Gloucestershire, and in 1923 was appointed High Sheriff of Gloucestershire.
He later achieved the rank of colonel and died on 29 May 1936.

The Medal

His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.