The Commando Winners of the Victoria Cross Plaque may be found at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Lt Col Geoffrey Keyes VC, MC.
Lt Col Charles Newman VC
Sgt Thomas Durrant VC
Maj Patrick Porteus VC
L/Cpl Henry Harden VC
Lt George A Knowland VC
Cpl Thomas Hunter VC
Maj Anders Lassen VC, MC**
DRW © 2018. Created 21/08/2018
George Allan Maling (6/10/1888 – 9/07/1929), was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions while serving with the 12th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own)
The Citation, recorded in the London Gazette of Supplement: 29371, Page: 11448, reads:
“Temporary Lieutenant George Allan Maling, M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps.
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the heavy fighting near Fauquissart on 25th September, 1915.
Lieutenant Maling worked incessantly with untiring energy from 6.15 a.m. on the 25th till 8 a.m. on the 26th, collecting and treating in the open under heavy shell fire more than 300 men. At about 11 a.m. on the 25th he was flung down and temporarily stunned by the bursting of a large high explosive shell, which wounded his only assistant and killed several of his patients. A second shell soon after covered him and his instruments with debris, but his high courage and zeal never failed him and he continued his gallant work single-handed.“
He died on 9 July 1929, at the age of 40, after suffering from pleurisy. He is buried in Chislehurst Cemetery, Chislehurst, Kent. Section A, Grave 2017, and is commemorated with a plaque at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Capt. George Allan Maling. VC.
© DRW 2017-2018. Created 12/07/2017. Gallaher cigarette card by Card Promotions, © 2001, first issued 1916
William Barnsley Allen (08/06/1892 – 27/08/1933) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions with the Royal Field Artillery, near Mesnil, France.
The Citation, recorded in the London Gazette of Supplement: 29802 Page: 10394, reads
“Captain William Barnsley Allen, M.C., M.B., Royal Army Medical Corps.
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty.
When gun detachments were unloading H.E. ammunition from wagons which had just come up, the enemy suddenly began to shell the battery position. The first shell fell on one of the limbers, exploded the ammunition and caused several casualties.
Captain Allen saw the occurrence and at once, with utter disregard of danger, ran straight across the open, under heavy shell fire, commenced dressing the wounded, and Undoubtedly by his promptness saved many of them from bleeding to death.
He was himself hit four times during the first hour by pieces of shells, one of which – fractured two of his ribs, but he never even mentioned this at the time, and coolly went on with his work till the last man was dressed and safely removed.
He then went over to another battery and tended a wounded officer. It was only when this was done that he returned to his dug-out and reported his own injury”
Lt. William Barnsley Allen. VC. DSO, MC*
He was also awarded the DSO and Military Cross, and later, a bar to his Military Cross.
He died of an accidental drug overdose in 1933 and is buried in Earnley Churchyard, Brackleham, Sussex and is commemorated on a plaque at the National Memorial Arboretum.
DRW © 2017-2018. Created 12/07/2017.
William Temple (07/11/1833 – 13/02/1919) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the New Zealand Wars in 1863 at Rangiriri
The Citation, recorded in the London Gazette of Issue: 22896, Page: 4552 reads:
“Royal Artillery.
Assistant-Surgeon William Temple and Lieutenant Arthur Frederick Pickard. Date of Acts of Bravery, November 20th, 1863.
For gallant conduct during the assault on the enemy’s position at Rangiriri, in New Zealand, on the 20th of November last, in exposing their lives to imminent danger, in crossing the entrance of the Maori keep, at a point upon which the enemy had concentrated their fire, with a view to render assistance to the wounded, and, more especially to the late Captain Mercer, of the Royal Artillery.
Lieutenant Pickard, it is stated, crossed, and re-crossed the parapet, to procure water for the wounded, when none of the men could be induced to perform this service, the space over which he traversed being exposed to a crossfire; and testimony is borne to the calmness displayed by him, and Assistant-Surgeon Temple, under the trying circumstances in which they were placed.“
He died in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and is buried in Highland Road Cemetery in Portsmouth.
There is a commemorative Plaque for him at the National Memorial Arboretum.
Asst Surg. William Temple. VC.
Portsmouth Highland Road Cemetery
DRW © 2016-2020. Created 27/10/2016, edited 13/05/2017
James Henry Reynolds (03/02/1844 – 04/03/1932) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Rorke’s Drift during the Zulu War in 1879.
The Citation, recorded in the London Gazette of Issue: 24734, Page: 3966, reads:
“Army Medical Department, Surgeon – Major James Henry Reynolds.
For the conspicuous bravery, during the attack at Rorke’s Drift on the 22nd and 23rd January, 1879, which he exhibited in his constant attention to the wounded under fire, and in his voluntarily conveying ammunition from the store to the defenders of the Hospital, whereby he exposed himself to a cross-fire from the enemy both in going and returning.”
He is buried in St Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in London. A commemorative plaque was also erected at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.
Commemorative plaque for Surgeon James Henry Reynolds. VC. at the NMA..
St Mary’s Roman Catholic Cemetery
DRW © 2016 – 2020. Created 16/08/2016, edited 11/05/2017
The War Memorial in Alrewas seems almost superfluous when the National Memorial Arboretum is relatively close by, but then the war memorial has been around much longer. A bus service runs between the village and Lichfield. The Arboretum is in walking distance from the village.
The memorial may be found at Google Earth co-ordinates: 52.732875°, -1.749580°. The National Memorial Arboretum may be found at 52.727889°, -1.731161°
Interestingly, the tree on the same traffic island has a plaque on it that proclaims that it was planted on 26 June 1902 to commemorate the coronation of King Edward VII.
© DRW 2015 – 2018. Created 09/04/2015
Captain Reginald Frederick Johnson Hayward VC was the son of stockbreeder Frederick and Gertrude Hayward. He was born on 17 June 1891 at the Beersheba Mission Station near Swartruggens, East Griqualand, and was educated at Hilton College Natal, Durban Business College and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons in the United Kingdom.
In May 1912 Reginald joined 6th Battalion Wiltshire Regiment and was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant on 29 September 1914. During October 1916 he was involved in action at Stuff Redoubt, Thiepval, France and he was awarded the Military Cross, a bar was added to his MC during the battle of Messines in Belgium.
In March 1918, as the Germans advanced towards Bapaume, the 1st Battalion The Wiltshire Regiment was moved to the north of Fremicourt, a village east of Bapaume and just south of the Cambrai road. 4th Corps was trying to hold a line between Vaulx and Morchies to the north of the road. The surviving Wiltshires, three officers and 54 NCO’s and men, were gathered at Bihucourt, north-west of Bapaume, on 24 March. When the German offensive had opened on the 21st, 8th Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment mounted an unsuccessful counter-attack at Doignies to try and contain the enemy advance south of the Cambrai-Bapaume road. They were then withdrawn west to Velu Wood. By the 23rd, the German advance had reached this point and the Glosters, together with the 10th Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment was ordered to cover the further withdrawal of British forces. Bapaume itself was abandoned to the Germans.
The Citation, recorded in the London Gazette for Supplement: 30648, Page:4967, reads:
“For most conspicuous bravery in action. This officer, while in command of a company, displayed almost superhuman powers of endurance and consistent courage of the rarest nature. In spite of the fact that he was buried, wounded in the head, and rendered deaf on the first day of operations, and had his arm shattered two days later, he refused to leave his men (even though he received a third serious injury to his head), until he collapsed from sheer physical exhaustion.
Throughout the whole of this period the enemy was attacking his company front without cessation, but Captain Hayward continued to move across the open front from one trench to another with absolute disregard of his own personal safety, concentrating entirely on re-organising his defences and encouraging his men.
It was almost entirely due to the magnificent example of ceaseless energy of this officer that many determined attacks on his portion of the trench system failed entirely.“
Reginald Hayward survived the war and continued to serve in the military in Dublin, Egypt and Palestine. In April 1935 he was transferred to the Reserves. During the Second World War he served as Commander of the Royal Army Service Corps Anti-Aircraft Command. He retired on 09 July 1947 as an Honorary Lieutenant Colonel.
Apart from his Victoria Cross and Military Cross with Bar he was awarded the 1914 – 1915 Star, British War Medal 1914 – 1920, Victory Medal 1914 – 1919, Defence Medal 1939 – 1945, Coronation Medal 1937, Coronation Medal 1953 and Territorial Efficiency decoration.
He died on 17 January 1970 in Chelsea, London and was cremated on 23 January 1970 at the Putney Vale Crematorium, London while his ashes are scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.
Reginald Hayward VC
Memorial Stone
National Memorial Arboretum
(Based off an extract published in The VC and the GC, The Complete History, by Methuen and The VC and GC Association in 2013.
© DRW 2015-2018. Created 08/03/2015, edited 17/05/2017