English was educated at Harvey Grammar School in Folkestone, Kent from 1894 to 1898 and Campbell College, Belfast from 1898 to 1899.

[1] He was 18 years old, and a lieutenant in the 2nd Scottish Horse during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 3 July 1901 at Vlakfontein, South Africa, for which he was awarded the VC: This Officer with five men was holding the right of a position at Vlakfontein on the 3rd July, 1901, during an attack by the Boers.

Two of his men were killed and two wounded, but the position was still held, largely owing to Lieutenant English's personal pluck.

[2]Following the end of the war, he went to the United Kingdom and received the decoration in person from the Prince of Wales during a large coronation parade of colonial troops in London on 1 July 1902.

He died of a cerebral haemorrhage, on board a ship near Egypt, on active service with the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1941.