MyGlasgow News

A simple service in the Memorial Chapel on 25 September will remember a University Victoria Cross recipient on the centenary of his death. The Great War Project will launch on the same day.

The University service of remembrance for Captain Harry S Ranken VC will coincide with the launch of the Great War Project. All staff and students are welcome.

• Date: Thursday 25th September 2014
• Time: 10.45 for 11.00
• Venue: University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel

After a short service, a white cross will be planted in the University's Garden of Remembrance, followed by a talk by Dr Tony Pollard on the University's Great War Project. There will also be an University of Glasgow Great War Exhibition and video to view in the Chapel.

If you wish to attend, please contact Amber Higgins, Senior Academic Policy Manager (Ceremonies) by Friday 12 September 2014. 

 

The University of Glasgow's experience of the war mirrored that of communities throughout Scotland, the wider UK and the world. From August 1914 onwards, the appalling casualties mounted. The University lost students, staff and alumni and many more returned from France and the other theatres of the war with severe physical and mental injuries.

‌An extraordinarily high proportion of the University's casualties - approaching 25 per cent - were medics: doctors and nurses who had been training at Gilmorehill. 

Harry's story

‌Captain Harry Sherwood Ranken graduated from the University of Glasgow MB ChB (with commendation) in 1905, writes Jennifer Novotny of the Great War Project. He died of wounds on 25 September 1914, the first known death of the University community, the 22nd VC of the war, and only the 5th Scottish recipient of the award.

Pre-war life and career

‌Ranken was born 3 September 1883 in Glasgow. He was the eldest son of Rev. Henry Ranken, BD, the minister of Irvine Old Parish Church, and Helen Morton Ranken. He attended Irvine Royal Academy and entered the University of Glasgow in 1900, taking classes with renowned surgeon Professor Sir William Macewen. After graduation Ranken was a resident house surgeon and house physician at the Western Infirmary and then assistant medical officer at the Metropolitan Asylums Board’s Brook Fever Hospital. In 1909 he enlisted with the RAMC with a first-place entrance exam, and also earned the Tulloch Medal in military medicine. He served with Eastern Command pursuing research into sleeping sickness at the Royal Army Medical College and the Brown Institute in London until 1911, after which he ran Yei Camp in Sudan as part of the Sudan Government’s Sleeping Sickness Commission. He was promoted to Captain in 1912. He volunteered with the British Expeditionary Force when war was declared and was attached to 1st Battalion King’s Royal Rifle Corps and was immediately posted to France in August. Within the first month he received the French Croix de Chevalier of the Legion of Honour for actions during the retreat from Mons.

Victoria Cross

Ranken’s leg was badly damaged by a British shell whilst tending to wounded in exposed positions. Rather than retire to seek medical attention, Ranken reportedly dressed his wound in the field and continued to treat others until he was physically unable to continue his work. He was eventually taken to Braine where he died of wounds at a dressing station.

Commemoration and memorialisation

Ranken is buried at Braisne Communal Cemetery. His name appears on the University of Glasgow Roll of Honour in the memorial chapel, the Irvine war memorial, and there is a monument to him in the Irvine Old Parish churchyard. Ranken Drive and Ranken Crescent in Irvine are named for him. At the time of his death, he also appeared on Wills cigarette cards.  His VC was awarded posthumously on 16 November and on 29 November it was officially presented to his father. Today the medal is part of the RAMC collections and is on display at the Army Medical Services Museum at Keogh Barracks. In 1924 Ranken’s parents founded a memorial prize at the University of Glasgow. The University Court gratefully acknowledged this memorial to ‘an alumnus who so highly distinguished himself and whose memory is cherished by the University’. The Ranken prize is still awarded annually to the candidate who demonstrates the highest level of excellence in the undergraduate course/module of Pathology/Mechanisms of Disease (including intercalated BSc (Med Sci) Clinical Medicine).

There are plans to lay a wreath at Harry's grave in the Braisne Cemetery at the same time as the memorial service in Glasgow on September 25.

 

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First published: 1 September 2014