Birthplace of Leamington war hero to be given blue plaque

Henry Tandey, the most decorated private soldier during the First World War, is to be permanently remembered in his home town of Leamington.



Providing planning permission is granted, a blue plaque will be installed outside the Angel Hotel in Regent Street, which backs on to the former Swains Buildings.

This was where Henry Tandey was born in 1891 and where he attended the local St Peter’s School.

Although Mr Tandey, who died in 1967, was made a Freeman of the Royal Borough of Leamington after the war, there has never been anything to mark on his birthplace because it had been demolished.

Members of Leamington town council’s planning committee were expected to support their own application for the plaque last night (Thursday August 25) - and pass it on to Warwick District Council for consideration in a few weeks’ time.

Town clerk Robert Nash said: “During the First World War Mr Tandey had the unique distinction of winning the Victoria Cross, the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Military Medal.

“He was also mentioned in despatches on several occasions for his bravery.”

More controversially, the former Green Howard soldier is credited with not shooting a wounded German Lance Corporal - who turned out to be Adolf Hitler - in 1914.

Whether this was true, or Hitler simply battoned on to an English war hero when he met Neville Chamberlain in 1938, is open to dispute.

Certainly Hitler is said to have been saved by a British ‘Tommy” and had a picture of Tandy on his wall when Chamberlain visited him during the Munich crisis.

News of the likely plaque has pleased Stratford academic Dave Johnson who is writing a book about Henry Tandey, and is looking for more memories of his early life in the town. He knows that Henry married twice, first to Edith Warwick and, following her death, to Annie Whateley.

War Memorial Park Improvements (34) by Love Earlsdon, on Flickr

Plaque at the top of the steps on the Cenotaph at Coventry's War Memorial Park. Interesting to note the different spellings of his surname and that article saying he died in 1967 ...

Thanks Peter

The majority of sources give the spelling of his name as "Tandey" and the year of his death as 1977.

Also not mentioned in the article is that Tandey spent the rest of his life in Coventry including the period of the Blitz.

Henry Tandey to be honoured after successful campaign


Henry Tandey at 85 with his Victoria Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal

A lasting legacy is set to finally take pride of place in memory of the most decorated private of the First World War.

War hero Henry Tandey, who spent most of his life living in Coventry, was honoured with a number of military awards – including the illustrious Victoria Cross – for acts of bravery as he served king and country.

And now his outstanding bravery is to be marked with a permanent reminder in his home town of Leamington – thanks to the generosity of members of the public.

An appeal was launched in November last year by funeral director Henry Ison and Sons to raise the £500 needed to create a replica of the soldier’s Victoria Cross.

People came forward in their droves to support the campaign and the target was reached in less than a month.

Half of the funds were collected in just one day at the Royal Priors Shopping Centre in Leamington and the remainder was donated by two benefactors – the Old Leamingtonians RFC Rugby 4 Heroes team and a final donation from a resident who wishes to remain anonymous.

Isons commissioned Hancock’s of London, who have produced Victoria Cross medals since 1856, to produce a special commemorative Victoria Cross medal that will be donated to the town and put on public display at the Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum, along with photos and other items loaned by Tandey’s great nephew Chris Gordon.

Funeral manager James Hewison said: “Thanks to the people of Leamington we are now able to commemorate the contribution of one of the UK’s most decorated soldiers and create a lasting local legacy to help future generations remember Henry Tandey and all the other young men who fought at the front and sacrificed so much.”

A service of dedication will be held at All Saints Church in Leamington on St George’s Day (April 23) at 3pm when the medal will be officially handed over to the Mayor of Leamington.