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The Graveyards of Gallipoli; A Digger History Associate Site |
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A Tribute to the Men of all the Nations that took part in the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 |
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British VC Winners, Gallipoli Campaign: K to R |
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Index to VC winners on this page. |
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Image by Eric Goossens >>> |
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| William
Kenealy was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross. He
was 28 years old, and a Lance Sergeant in the 1st Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers,
British Army during the First World War when the following action took
place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, when landing an W Beach, were met by a very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. The survivors, however, rushed up and cut the wire entanglements notwithstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties, the cliffs were gained and the position maintained. See also Cuthbert Bromley VC, John Elisha Grimshaw VC, Alfred Joseph Richards VC, Frank Edward Stubbs VC and Richard Raymond Willis VC. He was killed in action, Gallipoli, Turkey, on 29 June 1915. Private Kenealy was one of the six members of the regiment elected for the award, one of the famous 'six VC's before breakfast' earned on a beach that would thereafter become known as 'Lancashire Landing'. He later achieved the rank of Sergeant. |
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He
was 21 years old, and a Private in the 1/4th Bn., The Royal Scots
Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following
action took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 13 August 1915 at Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, Private Lauder was with a bombing party retaking a sap when he threw a bomb which failed to clear the parapet and fell amongst the bombing party. There was no time to smother the bomb and Private Lauder at once put his foot on it, thereby localizing the explosion. His foot was blown off, but the remainder of the party escaped unhurt. |
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Wilfred
St. Aubyn Malleson was 18 years old, and a Midshipman in the Royal Navy
during the First World War when the following action took place for
which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 during the landing at V Beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, Midshipman Malleson and three others (William Charles Williams, George Leslie Drewry, George McKenzie Samson) of HMS River Clyde assisted the commander (Edward Unwin) of the ship at the work of securing the lighters under very heavy rifle and Maxim fire. When the other midshipman with the party had failed, through sheer exhaustion to get a line from lighter to lighter, Midshipman Malleson swam with it himself and succeeded. The line subsequently broke and he afterwards made two further unsuccessful attempts at his self-imposed task. He later achieved the rank of Captain. |
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2nd Lieutenant (Lieutenant) George Raymond Dallas
MOOR, VC MC & bar |
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George
Raymond Dallas Moor VC, MC and bar. (22 October 1896–3 November 1918)
was a recipient of the Victoria Cross.
Born in Australia and educated at Cheltenham College, Moor was 18 years old, and a Second Lieutenant attached to the 2nd Battalion, The Hampshire Regiment, British 29th Division, during the First World War when the following action took place for which he was awarded the VC.
Moor's citation in the London Gazette, 24 July 1915 reads: |
The action actually took place early on 6 June during the Turkish counter-attack following the Third Battle of Krithia. Moor "stemmed the retirement" by shooting four of his own men. In the words of the 29th Division's commander General Henry de Lisle, Moor shot "the leading four men and the remainder came to their senses." Moor later achieved the rank of Lieutenant and was killed in action, Mouveaux, France, on 3 November 1918. His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Royal Hampshire Regiment Museum & Memorial Garden, Winchester, England. |
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Lieutenant Commander (Admiral
Sir) Martin Eric NASMITH, VC KCB KCMG |
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Martin Eric Nasmith VC, KCB, KCMG. During the period 20 May–8 June 1915 in the Sea of Marmara, Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith, in command of H.M. Submarine E.11, destroyed one large Turkish gunboat, two transports, one ammunition ship, three store ships and four other vessels. When he had safely passed the most difficult part of his homeward journey he returned to torpedo a Turkish transport. |
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A native of Frankfield,
County Cork, Ireland, he was the son of a Lieutenant Colonel in the
Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. At school he had a reputation for
being headstrong -- one report refers to him as “a somewhat
controversial character.” He attended the Royal Military College at
Sandhurst and was commissioned into the 1st Battalion of the Royal
Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1909. He served in China during the 1911
revolution and later in India.
At the outbreak of war his unit was posted back to England, then in early 1915 was sent to the Dardanelles for the Gallipoli campaign. O’Sullivan made it through the initial April 25 landings unscathed and distinguished himself in the first weeks of battles on the peninsula. He was awarded the VC for action at a position named Turkey Trench near Gully Ravine, July 1-2, 1915. From his citation: "For most conspicuous bravery during operations south-west of Krithia, on the Gallipoli Peninsula. |
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the night of the 1st/2nd July, 1915, when it was essential that a
portion of a trench which had been lost should be regained, Captain
O'Sullivan, although not belonging to the troops at this point,
volunteered to lead a party of bomb throwers to effect the recapture. He
advanced in the open under a very heavy fire, and, in order to throw his
bombs with greater effect, got up on the parapet where he was completely
exposed to the fire of the enemy occupying the trench.
He was finally wounded, but not
before his inspiring example had led on his party to make further
efforts, which resulted in the recapture of the trench. On the night of
18th/19th June, 1915, Captain O'Sullivan saved a critical situation in
the same locality by his great personal gallantry and good
leading." O’Sullivan was killed six weeks later in a charge up
Hill 70 in the “big push” at Suvla Bay; the position was later taken
by the Turks and O’Sullivan’s remains were not recovered. His medals
are privately held. (bio by: Paul F. Wilson) |
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The 1st VC at ANZAC |
Portrait, in
civilian clothes, of Lance Corporal W.R. Parker VC of the Royal Marine
Light Infantry, Royal Naval Division (Portsmouth Battalion), who was
the first man to be awarded the Victoria Cross in the ANZAC sector at
Gallipoli although the award was not
On the night of 30 April/1 May 1915 at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, Turkey, Lance-Corporal Parker, a volunteer stretcher-bearer, went out with a party of NCOs and men to take vital supplies to an isolated trench. Several men had already been killed in an attempt to reach the trench, and after crossing an area of about 400 yards swept by machine-gun and rifle fire, Lance-Corporal Parker was alone, the rest of the party having been killed or wounded. On his arrival he gave assistance to the wounded and when the trench was finally evacuated, he helped to remove and attend the casualties, although he himself was seriously hurt. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Marines Museum (Southsea, England). (Donor A.W. Bazley) |
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| Gallipoli
- 28 April 1915
During February and March 915 elements of the 3rd Royal Marines Brigade (Brigadier C N Trotman RMLI), landed largely unopposed on the Gallipoli Peninsula to dismantle Turkish defensive positions. After the unsuccessful naval attempts to force the Narrows in March, the Turkish Army reinforced the peninsula in strength. Thereafter a major amphibious operation was required. The Plymouth Battalion RMLI took park in the initial landing on 25 April but the Brigade did not land until the night of 28/29 April when it went ashore at Anzac Cover to relieve 1 and 3 Australian Brigades. On 30 April it was joined in the line by 1 Royal Navy Brigade (Brigadier D Mercer RMLI) which contained the Deal RMLI Battalion. For the next 13 days both brigades were engaged in continuous heavy fighting, bearing the brunt of the Turkish attacks and displaying great resolution. After a counter-attack in the Monash Valley by Chatham and Portsmouth Battalions on 3 May 1915 the Turks were driven back with heavy losses. Major Quinn, a great Australian VC (sic), said to Major Jerram of the RM Brigade "The bravest thing I've seen so far was the charge of your two Battalions up that hill on Bloody Sunday." In another incident Lance Corporal W R Parker (Portsmouth Battalion RMLI) was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in evacuating a party of wounded men under fire. The RM Brigade's casualties during this period were 21 officers and 217 men killed, 29 officers and 764 men wounded and 122 men missing. On 12 May both brigades were deployed to Cape Helles to rejoin the RN Division for the remainder of the campaign. |
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| Frederick
William Owen Potts was 22 years old, and a Private in the 1st Bn of the
1st Berkshire Yeomanry, British Army during the First World War when the
following action took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 21 August 1915 in the attack on Hill 70, Gallipoli, Turkey, Private Potts, although wounded in the thigh, remained for over 48 hours under the Turkish trenches with another private from his regiment who was severely wounded, and unable to move. He finally fixed a shovel to the equipment of his wounded comrade and using this as a sledge, dragged the man back over 600 yards to safety, being under fire all the way. He later achieved the rank of Lance-Corporal. |
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Lieutenant Commander (Rear
Admiral) Eric Gascoigne ROBINSON, VC OBE |
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Eric
Gascoigne Robinson (VC, OBE)
was 32 years old, and a Lieutenant-Commander in the Royal Navy during
the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was
awarded the VC with naval blue ribbon.
On 26 February 1915 in the Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander Robinson of HMS Vengeance was in charge of a demolition party which was landed at Kum Kale. They were held up by heavy fire and Lieutenant-Commander Robinson told his sailors to stay where they were as their white uniforms made them conspicuous, and went on alone with a charge of gun-cotton. He found the A.A. Battery deserted and having blown up one gun, he went back for another charge and blew up the second. He later took part in four attacks on the mine-fields, always under heavy fire. He later achieved the rank of Rear-Admiral. |
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Alfred
Joseph Richards was 35 years old, and a Sergeant in the 1st Bn., The
Lancashire Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the
following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, when landing on W Beach, were met by a very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. The survivors, however rushed up and cut the wire entanglements notwithstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties, the cliffs were gained and the position maintained. See also Cuthbert Bromley, John Elisha Grimshaw, William Kenealy, Frank Edward Stubbs, and Richard Raymond Willis |
