Lewis Stratford Tollemache Halliday
Captain, Royal Marine Light Infantry
- Register No.
- 512 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain all Captains →
- Unit
- Royal Marine Light Infantry all Royal Marine Light Infantry VCs →
- Date of action
- 24 June 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Boxer Rising
- London Gazette
- 1st January, 1901 on this day → all of 1901 →
- Born
- 14th May, 1870 at Medstead, Hampshire
- Died
- 9th March 1966 at Dorking, Surrey
- Memorial / grave
- Royal Marine Depot at Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hampshire. Also in Royal Marine Museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea
- Medal held by
- the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks,
Digest of citation
On 24th June 1900 at Peking, China, an attack was made on the British Legation by the Boxers who set fire to the stables and occupied some of the other buildings. It being imperative to drive the enemy out, a hole was knocked in the Legation wall and 20 men of the RMLI went in. Captain Halliday, leading a party of six men, was involved in desperate fighting and was severely wounded, but despite his injuries, he killed four of the enemy. Finally, unable to carry on any further, he ordered his men to go on without him, after which he was taken to hospital
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HALLIDAY, Lewis Stratford Tollemache. (reg No. 512).
Captain. Royal Marine Light Infantry.
Gazetted on 1st January, 1901.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hants.
Born on 14th May, 1870 at Medstead, Hampshire.
Died on 9th March 1966 at Dorking, Surrey.
Memorial at Royal Marine Depot at Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hampshire. Also in Royal Marine Museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea.
Digest of Citation reads: On 24th June 1900 at Peking, China, an attack was made on the British Legation by the Boxers who set fire to the stables and occupied some of the other buildings. It being imperative to drive the enemy out, a hole was knocked in the Legation wall and 20 men of the RMLI went in. Captain Halliday, leading a party of six men, was involved in desperate fighting and was severely wounded, but despite his injuries, he killed four of the enemy. Finally, unable to carry on any further, he ordered his men to go on without him, after which he was taken to hospital.
Additional information:. Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Halliday was a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB). After serving in World War One he was sent as a member of the British Delegation to the peace conference. From 1927-38 he was Adjutant General of the Royal Marines and their Honorary Colonel Commandant from 1930-40
From the archive — contributed material
Captain (later General Sir) Lewis Halliday VC KCB, Royal Marine Light Infantry (Peking 1900) — Royal Marines Museum, Eastney
From Alf's last visit, Portsmouth, April 2005.
Captain (later General Sir) Lewis Halliday VC KCB — portrait in the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney 
The medals of (later General Sir) Lewis Halliday displayed at the Royal Marines Museum
The medal group
The museum's label reads: Victoria Cross; Neck Badge and Star of a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (1930); China Medal 1900 with bar Defence of Legations; 1914–15 Star; 1914–20 War Medal; Victory Medal; Silver Jubilee Medal 1935; Coronation Medals 1937 and 1953.
Images and text reproduced by courtesy of the Askin family — photographs taken by Alf Askin and family at the Royal Marines Museum, Eastney, Portsmouth, April 2005. Added 2026.
Additional information
Lieutenant General Sir Lewis Halliday was a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB). After serving in World War One he was sent as a member of the British Delegation to the peace conference. From 1927-38 he was Adjutant General of the Royal Marines and their Honorary Colonel Commandant from 1930-40
Southsea, Hants.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Royal Marine Depot at Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hampshire. Also in Royal Marine Museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour Lewis Stratford Tollemache Halliday by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.