VC's in the area

Achiet-le-Grand during WW1

 
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1915           Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall    On the 7th November 1915 pilot Gilbert Stuart Martin Insall gained a VC and his companion observer-gunner T.H.Donald a DCM for action over Achiet (Achiet-le-Petit or Achiet-le-Grand?) with a vickers FB5 5074 11th squadron. Wounded with his observer later on the 14th December, he became a prisoner of war and attempted  to escape three times. On the 28th August 1917, his third attempt, he managed during nine nights to travel to the Dutch border and freedom. For his efforts to escape imprisonment, he received an MC                                          Insall was promoted to wing commander of the 35th squadron in March 1929   Source : RAF Museum 1917 Achiet-le-Grand         Christopher Augustus Cox From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Christopher Augustus Cox (December 25, 1889 - April 28, 1959) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.He was 27 years old, and a Private in the 7th Bn., The Bedfordshire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 13 March 1917 at Achiet-le-Grand, France during an attack by the battalion, the front wave was checked by very heavy artillery and machine-gun fire and the whole line had to take shelter in shell holes to avoid annihilation. Private Cox, a stretcher-bearer, went out over fire-swept ground and, single-handed, rescued four men. Having collected the wounded of his own battalion he then helped to bring in the wounded of the adjoining battalion. On two subsequent days he carried out similar work with complete disregard of his own safety.   Further information He was born on 25 December 1889 and was married with one son when war was declared but still volunteered in September 1914 when Kitchener made his appeal. He went to France in July 1915 and spent nearly 2 years in the trenches first on the Somme near Albert. He was wounded on the first day of the Somme offensive. He was also at Thiepval in September 1916 and back to the Bihucourt assault in March 1917 where he won his VC and sustained serious wounds to his foot which resulted in him being sent back to England. His family expanded to 8 children and 14 grandchildren, and he was much loved by them all. On 28 April 1959 he died aged 69. His Victoria Cross is currently on display at the Imperial War Museum, London, England.   1918 Logeast Wood           Daniel Marcus William Beak  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Daniel Marcus William Beak (VC, DSO, MC & Bar) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 27 years old, and a T/Commander in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, (Drake Bn., Royal Naval Division) during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. During the period 21/25 August and on 4 September 1918 at Logeast Wood( North Achiet ), France, Commander Beak led his men and captured four enemy positions under heavy fire. Four days later, although dazed by a shell fragment, in the absence of the brigade commander, he reorganised the whole brigade under extremely heavy gun fire and led his men to their objective. When an attack was held up, accompanied by only one runner he succeeded in breaking up a nest of machine-guns, personally bringing in nine or ten prisoners. His initiative and the confidence with which he inspired all ranks, contributed very materially to the success of these operations. He later achieved the rank of Major General.    Achiet-le-Petit   George Onions From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia George Onions (March 2, 1883 - April 2, 1944) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 35 years old, and a Lance-Corporal in the 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 22 August 1918 south of Achiet-le-Petit, France, Lance-Corporal Onions, having been sent out with one man to get in touch with the battalion on the right flank, saw the enemy advancing in large numbers. Seizing his opportunity, he boldly placed himself and his comrade on the flank of the advancing enemy and opened fire. When the enemy were about 100 yards from him the line wavered and some hands were thrown up, whereupon the lance-corporal rushed forward and helped by his comrade, took about 200 of the enemy prisoners and marched them back to his company commander. He later achieved the rank of Major. After the war, Onions served in the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Military Museum of Devon and Dorset (Dorchester, Dorset, England).   Courcelles le Comte          Hugh McIver From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Hugh McIver (VC, MM & Bar) (21 June 1890- 2 September 1918) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 28 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Scots (The Lothian Regiment), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 23 August 1918 east of Courcelle-le Compte, France, Private McIver was employed as a company-runner and under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire carried messages regardless of his own safety. Single-handed he pursued an enemy scout into a machine-gun post and having killed six of the garrison, captured 20 prisoners and two machine-guns. Later he succeeded, at great personal risk, in stopping the fire of a British tank which was directed in error against our own troops. He was killed in action 10 days later. He was killed in action, Near Courcelles, France, on 2 September 1918. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Scots Museum, Edinburgh Castle, Scotland.   Bucquoy     William Beesley&William Gregg William Beesley From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Beesley (5 October 1895-23 September 1966) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.He was 22 years old, and a private in the 13th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 8 May 1918 at Bucquoy, France, when Private Beesley's platoon sergeant and all the section commanders were killed he took command. Single-handed he rushed a post, shot four of the enemy, took six prisoners and sent them back to our lines. He and a comrade then brought his Lewis gun into action, inflicting many casualties and holding their position for four hours until the second private was wounded. Private Beesley, by himself, maintained his position until nightfall, when he returned to the original line with the wounded man and the Lewis gun which he kept in action until things had quietened down. He later achieved the rank of sergeant. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Green Jackets Museum (Winchester, England).     William Gregg  From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia William Gregg VC , DCM , MM (27 January 1890 - 10 August 1969) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (British medal of achievement), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was 28 years old, and a sergeant in the 13th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 6 May 1918 at Bucquoy, France, when all the officers of Sergeant Gregg's company had been hit during an attack on an enemy outpost, he took command, rushing two enemy posts, killing some of the gun teams, taking prisoners and capturing a machine-gun. He then started to consolidate his position until driven back by a counter-attack, but as reinforcements had by now come up, he led a charge, personally bombed a hostile machine-gun, killed the crew and captured the gun. When driven back again, he led another successful attack and held on to his position until ordered to withdraw. Further information He later achieved the rank of company sergeant-major. The medal His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Green Jackets Museum (Winchester, England).       Thomas Young From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia  VC (28 January 1895 - 15 October 1966) was an British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. From High Spen in what is now the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead. He was 23 years old, and a private in the 9th Battalion, The Durham Light Infantry, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. During the period 25/31 March 1918 at Bucquoy, France, Private Young, a stretcher-bearer, worked unceasingly evacuating the wounded from seemingly impossible places. On nine different occasions he went out in front of British lines in broad daylight, under heavy rifle, machine-gun and shell fire and brought back wounded to safety. Those too badly wounded to be moved before dressing, he dressed under fire and then carried them back unaided. He saved nine lives in this manner. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Durham Light Infantry Museum & Durham Art Gallery      Theodore Bayley Hardy   From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia VC, DSO, MC (20 October, 1863 – 18 October 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. In addition to the VC, Hardy had been awarded the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order, making him one of the most decorated non-combatants of the First World War. Hardy was educated at the City of London School from 1879-1882 and at the University of London. He was ordained in 1898. He was an Assistant Master at Nottingham High School from 1891-1907. He was married and his wife died in 1914. He joined the army at the outbreak of World War I at the age of 54, and a Padre in the Army Chaplains' Department, British Army, T/Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class attached to 8th Battalion, The Lincolnshire Regiment during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 5, 25, and 27 April 1918 near Bucquoy and east of Gommecourt, France, The Reverend Theodore Hardy showed most conspicuous bravery, tending the wounded under very heavy fire, absolutely regardless of his personal safety. Once he helped to bring in a wounded officer from 400 yards beyond the front line. Then, when an enemy shell exploded in one of our posts and several men were buried, he immediately went, under heavy fire, and managed to dig two of them out. On a third occasion he went out with a sergeant and brought in a wounded man who was lying within 10 yards of a German pillbox. King George V personally pinned the VC to Hardy's chest. Despite pleas from his superiors both in the military and in religious life, and indeed an offer of a post in England from the King himself, Hardy would not leave the front. He was wounded in action when again trying to tend to the wounded and died a week later in Rouen, France, on 18 October 1918. He was buried at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France, in block S, plot V, row J, grave 1. There are memorials to Hardy at Carlisle Cathedral, at the City of London School and in his old church at Hutton Roof in Cumbria. His medals are displayed at The Museum of Army Chaplaincy (Amport, Hampshire, England).