The Struggle for a Grave at The Somme

Of all the 72,245 names that are inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, there are seven who were Victoria Cross winners, a few who had already demonstrated their gallantry in a prior battle and who were duly recognized for their outstanding efforts under fire, but who were then killed at The Somme and today remain missing and have no known grave.

Captain Eric Bell, when 20 years old, won his VC on the first day of the offensive, while serving with the The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Thiepval where he was killed in action on 1 July 1916. As later printed in The London Gazette, his citation read: "For most conspicuous bravery. He was in command of a Trench Mortar Battery, and advanced with the Infantry in the attack. When our front line was hung up by enfilading machine gun fire Captain Bell crept forward and shot the machine gunner. Later, on no less than three occasions, when our bombing parties, which were clearing the enemy's trenches, were unable to advance, he went forward alone and threw Trench Mortar bombs among the enemy. When he had no more bombs available he stood on the parapet, under intense fire, and used a rifle with great coolness and effect on the enemy advancing to counter-attack. Finally he was killed rallying and reorganising infantry parties which had lost their officers. All this was outside the scope of his normal duties with his battery. He gave his life in his supreme devotion to duty."

Private William Buckingham grew up at the Countesthorpe Cottage Homes for Children and joined the British Army in 1901, at the age of 15, serving first in Egypt and India. His battalion was posted to France at the outset of WW1 where he won the Victoria Cross for his actions on two separate occasions, on 10 and 12 March 1915 at Neuve Chapelle during which he was also wounded in the chest. His citation reads: "For conspicuous acts of bravery and devotion to duty in rescuing and rendering aid to the wounded whilst exposed to heavy fire, especially at Neuve-Chapelle on 10th and 12th March 1915." According to a newspaper report, after King George V had presented his VC to him at Buckingham Palace on 4 June 1915, he was then employed by the army to encourage more men to enlist. However, a career soldier, he actually wanted to go back to war and rejoined the 1st Battalion of his regiment in France in May 1916. Sadly, he was killed by German machine gun fire during an attack south of Ginchy on 15 September 15 1916. His body was never found after the battle in which 111 men of his regiment were also killed and 232 wounded in one day.

Lieutenant Geoffrey St George Shillington Cather was killed while serving with the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 2 July 1916, and was awarded his VC for his actions near Beaumont Hamel. (Of the 600 men of the 9th Battalion to go into the attack, only 80 made it back to their own lines - the injured were left lying in the open.) His citation reads: "For most conspicuous bravery. From 7 p.m. till midnight he searched 'No Man's Land', and brought in three wounded men. Next morning at 8 a.m. he continued his search, brought in another wounded man, and gave water to others, arranging for their rescue later. Finally, at 10.30 a.m., he took out water to another man, and was proceeding further on when he was himself killed. All this was carried out in full view of the enemy, and under direct machine gun fire and intermittent artillery fire. He set a splendid example of courage and self sacrifice." On 31 March 1917 King George V, at Buckingham Palace, presented his medal to his mother, Margaret Matilda.

Private William Frederick McFadzean, a 20-year-old rifleman in the 14th Battalion, The Royal Irish Rifles, on 1 July 1916, serving near Thiepval Wood selflessly threw himself atop several un-pinned grenades, which exploded, killing him and injuring another companion. His citation, subsequently published on 8 Sept 8 1916 in the London Gazette, read: "For most conspicuous bravery. While in a concentration trench and opening a box of bombs for distribution prior to an attack, the box slipped down into the trench, which was crowded with men, and two of the safety pins fell out. Private McFadzean, instantly realising the danger to his comrades, with heroic courage threw himself on the top of the Bombs. The bombs exploded blowing him to pieces, but only one other man was injured. He well knew his danger, being himself a bomber, but without a moment's hesitation he gave his life for his comrades. McFadzean's father was presented with his son's VC by King George V in Buckingham Palace, London on 28 February 1917, which today can be seen proudly on display at The Royal Ulster Rifles Museum in Belfast.

Private William Mariner, from Lancashire, won his VC at Cambrai on 22 May 1915, yet was killed a year later at Loos serving with the King's Royal Rifle Corps. At 18, Mariner signed up and served in the British Army in India until 1909, becoming the regimental lightweight wrestling champion. Although, quite a character, he was twice court-martialled, once for striking an officer and once for using threatening behaviour, serving long prison sentences with hard labour. He left the army in 1912 as a private but was soon convicted of breaking and entering, serving at least a year in prison in Manchester. So, in October 1914, he signed up with his old regiment, and was sent to France. While stationed at Loos, prior to the launch of the offensive on 1 July 1916, his comrades reported that Mariner seemed to lose control during a heavy bombardment, ran down an enemy trench and was last seen bayoneting a German as a shell exploded on him, blowing him to pieces. 

However, for his actions the year prior, his citation reads: "During a violent thunderstorm on the night of 22nd May, 1915, he left his trench near Cambrin, and crept out through the German wire entanglements till he reached the emplacement of a German machine gun which had been damaging our parapets and hindering our working parties. After climbing on the top of the German parapet he threw a bomb in under the roof of the gun emplacement and- heard some groaning and the enemy running away. After about a quarter of an hour he heard some of them coming back again, and climbed up on the other side of the emplacement and threw another bomb among them left-handed. He then lay still while the Germans opened a heavy fire on the wire entanglement behind him, and it was only after about an hour that he was able to crawl back to his own trench. Before starting out he had requested a serjeant to open fire on the enemy's trenches as soon as he had thrown his bombs. Rifleman Mariner was out alone for one and a half hours carrying out this gallant work."

Lieutenant Thomas Orde Lawder Wilkinson, an English-born Canadian and British Army officer, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross serving the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He died 5 July 1916 at La Boiselle, and his citation reads: "For most conspicuous bravery. During an attack, when a party of another unit was retiring without their machine-gun, Lieut. Wilkinson rushed forward, and, with two of his men, got the gun into action, and held up the enemy till they were relieved. Later, when the advance was checked during a bombing attack, he forced his way forward and found four or five men of different units stopped by a solid block of earth, over which the enemy was throwing bombs. With great pluck and promptness he mounted a machine-gun on the top of the parapet and dispersed the enemy bombers. Subsequently he made two most gallant attempts to bring in a wounded man, but at the second attempt he was shot through the heart just before reaching the man. Throughout the day he set a magnificent example of courage and self-sacrifice." In 2004 a plaque to his memory was unveiled in Quatt churchyard, commissioned by the Shropshire War Memorials Association - after unsuccessful attempts to locate relatives -and his Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum in London.

Lieutenant Alexander Young died in France on 19 October 1916, yet won his Victoria Cross while fighting in the Boer War in South Africa. Originally from County Galway, Ireland, Young joined the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays) and eventually became a riding instructor in the army, and served during the Mahdist War in India. While in the Cape Police, South African Forces, this is the report of his actions that won him his VC: "Towards the close of the action at Ruiter's Kraal on the 13th August, 1901, Sergeant-Major Young, with a handful of men, rushed some kopjes which were being; held by Commandant Erasmus and about 20 Boers. On reaching these kopjes the enemy were seen galloping back to another kopje held by the Boers. Sergeant-Major Young then galloped on some 50 yards ahead of his party and closing with the enemy shot one of them and captured Commandant Erasmus, the latter firing at him three times at point blank range before being taken prisoner." During WW1, after first joining the Natal Light Horse, Young transferred to the South African Scottish. He was serving with the regiment on the Somme when he was killed in action at the Butte de Warlencourt and is now commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.

Lest we forget.