Lieutenant Vernon James AUSTIN
22nd Battery, 34th Brigade Royal Field Artillery

Date of birth: 21st November 1893
Date of death: 26th January 1915

Killed in action aged 21
Buried at St Martin's Church Canterbury
He was born in Birmingham on the 21st of November 1893, the only son of Sir Herbert Austin MP KBE and Helen (nee Dron) of Lickey Grange, Bromsgrove in Worcestershire.

He was educated as a boarder at St Cuthbert's, Malvern Link, and at the King's School Canterbury from September 1907 to July 1909, where he was a Probationary Scholar in Mr Bell's House and served in the Officer Training Corps.

Although destined to take over the family business Austin Motor Works from his father he was set on a military career and on the 6th of January 1912 he was commissioned in the Special Reserve of the Royal Artillery as a 2nd Lieutenant.

As an experienced motor car racer he was due to sail for Russia to take part in a race organised by the Automobile Club of Russia when war was declared in August 1914.

He was promoted to Lieutenant, underwent further training at Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain and sailed with the 22nd Battery 34th Brigade Royal Field Artillery in support of 2nd Infantry Division landing in France on the 17th of August 1914. He saw action at the Marne, the Aisne and at Ypres.


On the morning of the 26th of January 1915 he and his commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Henry George Sandilands (OKS) went forward alone to reconnoitre near La Bassee. Whilst returning along an open stretch of road he was shot in the right side of his chest by a sniper. He lapsed into unconsciousness and died in a few minutes.

Sandilands wrote to his parents:-

"Your son, who was a Subaltern in my battery, was killed in action this morning about 11.30am. the poor boy and I were alone when he was shot by a sniper. He had accompanied me to a forward position in order to learn the ground, never at any time a very safe business but necessary. Coming back we had to pass an exposed piece of road. It was at this point that he was shot through the right breast by a rifle bullet, and died within a few minutes without regaining consciousness... I need hardly tell you what a gloom it has cast over officers and men of my battery, as everyone was so fond of him.
He was such a cheery little chap and always showed such a stout front under fire. He was keen and capable officer and he is a great loss to the Brigade with all of whom he was so popular."

His body was brought back to England on the 6th of February and after lying in the Chapel of the Innocents in Canterbury Cathedral, he was buried with full military honours in St Martin's Church, Canterbury on the 8th of February in a service taken by the Headmaster, Reverend Mr McDowall. Cadets from the school played the Last Post and fired three volleys over the grave. Wreaths were laid on behalf of the King's School masters, the boys and the Officer Training Corps.

Inside the church there is a plaque presented by the employees of the Austin Motor Company which reads: - "This tablet was erected in memory of a brave soldier by the employees of the Austin Motor Company of Birmingham, London and Manchester."

His original grave marker is in the King's School Memorial Chapel, and he is commemorated at Moseley Rugby Football Club.
 

Back