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North Staffordshire
Royal British Legion News August 2006 |
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YOXALL BRANCH REMEMBERS
STAFFORDSHIRE'S FIRST VC HERO |
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The
"Legion Letter" for February 2004 reminded Branches that a
Resolution passed at Annual Conference 2002 called upon all Branches
within whose area a holder of the Victoria Cross was born, to ensure
that the recipient's valiant deeds were recorded on a suitable
plaque or tablet.
Following on from an article which appeared in the "Family Tree
Magazine" which stated that a James Thompson[1], who was born in
Yoxall, was awarded the Victoria Cross in 1857* during the Indian
Mutiny, and was in fact, one of the first soldiers from
Staffordshire to be awarded this honour, we decided to look further
into this.
With the help of a local historian, a very thorough search was
undertaken, and eventually the true identity of the man was
discovered.
Accordingly a plaque has been placed in St.Peter's Church, Yoxall
commemorating this historic deed. This will remind future
generations that a man from this area was awarded the highest and
most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that
can be awarded to British and Commonwealth Forces.
The Rector of Yoxall, The Reverend Jenny Lister, dedicated this
plaque on Saturday 12th August. In addition to Branch members,
representatives from Yoxall Parish Council, St.Peter's Church and
local residents were in attendance.
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*Notes:
 On 9 July 1857 at Lucknow, India, Private Thompson 1st Bn 60th Rifles
[2](
King's Royal Rifle Corps ) saved the life of his commanding officer,
Captain Wilton, by dashing forward to his relief when that officer was
surrounded by a number of the enemy. The private killed two of the
assailants before further assistance arrived.
Private Thompson was also commended for conspicuous gallantry throughout
the siege and he was elected by the regiment to be awarded the Victoria
Cross.
Background Information
 The Victoria Cross was instituted by Royal Warrant of 29 January 1856,
made retrospective to the autumn of 1854 to cover the Crimean War. Prior
to this conflict the Sovereign had no means for rewarding junior
officers and other ranks in the army and navy for 'signal acts of valour
or devotion in the presence of the enemy'.
There have been various changes to the conditions for award of the VC
since 1856, including assent by King Edward VII to posthumous awards,
the earliest back-dated to 1857 (Ensign Everard Lisle Phillipps VC, 1st
Battalion, 60th Rifles).
VCs are cast from the gunmetal of two Chinese cannon captured from the
Russians during the Crimean War. Queen Victoria was intimately involved
in the design, which she expressly wished to be simple and
unpretentious. She also chose the motto, 'For Valour'.
1,355 VCs have been awarded - 1,351 to individuals, three of whom
received a bar to their VC, and one to the American Unknown Warrior of
the First World War. 837 VCs have been awarded to members of the British
Army, 119 to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, and 32 to the Royal Air
Force and Royal Flying Corps. The Australian Forces have been awarded
91, the Canadian Forces 80, New Zealand Forces 22, and South African
Forces 28. Members of the former Honourable East India Company and
Indian Army received 137. Some 300 have been awarded posthumously.
It is increasingly rare for VCs to be awarded as the nature of warfare
has changed from the hand to hand combat of the nineteenth century and
the carnage of the battlefields of the First World War. Only one VC was
awarded on D- Day in 1944, whereas 24 were won on a single day - 16
including five awarded by ballot
November 1857 - at the relief of Lucknow.
'On March 18, 2005, Private Johnson Gideon Beharry of the 1st Battalion,
Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment
became the first recipient of the VC
since the posthumous award to Sgt Ian McKay, 3rd Battalion, Parachute
Regiment in 1982. Beharry was cited for "valour of the highest order"
during the Iraq War.
Further Reading
1.
William
James Thompson VC - Wikipedia
2. Royal
Green Jackets Museum Link
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