Eric Archibald McNair, known to his friends as Fuzzy[i], was born on Saturday 16 June 1894 at 5 Harington Street, Calcutta, India.  He was the youngest child of George Burgh McNair, Senior Partner of Morgan & Co., Solicitors, Calcutta, and Isabella Frederica nee Gow-Smith.  

 

When he was about 8 years old Eric left India to go to school in England, following in the footsteps of his older brother George, first to Branksome Prep School in Godalming, and then to Charterhouse.   He was elected to a Demyship at Magdalen College Oxford and in the Autumn of 1913 Fuzzy went up, at the same time as the Prince of Wales, with whom he would become acquainted.  Both were destined to have their time at Oxford cut short when war broke out the following August 1914.  McNair applied for, and obtained, a Commission on 8 October 1914 and was gazetted to the 10th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, as a Second Lieutenant.  A few weeks later, on 22 December 1914, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and the following August 1915 was transferred to the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment[ii].

 

Having taken part in the Battle of Loos, in February 1916 the Battalion moved to the Ypres Salient near Hooge.  Eric McNair was now 21.   On 14th February it was raining and a considerable amount of shelling had taken place throughout the day.   At 5.45 the enemy blew up two mines on the front line, Lieutenant McNair and a number of men were flung into the air and many were buried.   Although much shaken, McNair at once organised a party with a machine-gun to man the near edge of the crater and opened rapid fire on the advancing enemy.  They were driven back with many dead.   McNair decided to run back for reinforcements, and send to another unit for bombs, ammunition and tools to replace those buried, but the communication trench was blocked.  With little thought for the danger, he took his life in his hands and ran across the open, under heavy fire, successfully reaching his objective, and brought up the reinforcements the same way.   His bravery and quick thinking undoubtedly saved a critical situation[iii].

 

The London Gazette records his achievement and states that “His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to Temporary Lieutenant Eric Archibald McNair, 9th (service) Battalion, The Royal Sussex Regiment for most conspicuous bravery”[iv]. In May of 1916 McNair was allowed a short leave to receive his Victoria Cross and on 20 May at Buckingham Palace he was decorated by HM King George V.  

 

In August 1916 orders were received to make an attack on Guillemont on the Somme.   McNair was in charge of B Company but was wounded trying to find a route across No Man’s Land, his injuries were severe – gunshot wounds to his shoulder and back – and he was evacuated back to England, never to return to the 9th Battalion again.    

 

He remained “unfit for service” until January 1917 when he again volunteered and through the influence of Edward, Prince of Wales was put on probation for Staff work[v], going through a special Staff course and being appointed General Staff Officer Grade 3 on 18 April 1918.   Despite continuing ill health, he obtained a posting attached to the General Staff at the Expeditionary Force GHQ in Italy at the end of April and returned once more to active duty under Lieutenant-General Lord Cavan, the Commanding Officer of British Forces in Italy[vi].  However still suffering from poor health and susceptible to disease, he became ill and was invalided back to the base hospital in Genoa with chronic dysentery.    He died there on 12 August 1918[vii].   He was just 24 years old[viii].  

[i] Robert Graves autobiography “Goodbye to all that”.

[ii] Paul Reed - http://battlefields1418.50megs.com/vc2.htm

[iii] Citation from the London Gazette, No 29527 March 30, 1916

[iv] The London Gazette No 29527 of March 30, 1916 

[v] Courtesy of Charterhouse School

[vi] London Gazette 30966 – 18 October 1918

[vii] GRO War Death Army Officers Indices (1914 to 1921) Year 1918, volume O.12, page 112

[viii] Forces War Records

Sue Fisher-Pascall