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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: S to W |
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Index to VC winners on this page |
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George
McKenzie Samson was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross.
He was 26 years old, and a Seaman in the Royal Naval Reserve 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, Seaman Samson, with three other men (George Leslie Drewry, Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson, and William Charles Williams) was assisting the commander (Edward Unwin) of their ship HMS River Clyde, at the work of securing the lighters. He worked all day under very heavy fire, attending wounded and getting out lines. He was eventually dangerously wounded by Maxim fire. He later achieved the rank of Petty Officer. |
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Victor Smith (VC, Croix de Guerre (France)) was an English recipient of
the Victoria Cross. He was 24
years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 1/5th Bn., East Lancashire
Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following
deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 23 December 1915 at Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, Second Lieutenant Smith was in the act of throwing a grenade when it slipped from his hand and fell to the bottom of the trench close to several officers and men. He immediately shouted a warning and jumped clear to safety. He then saw that the officers and men were unable to find cover and knowing that the grenade was due to explode at any moment, he returned and flung himself upon it. He was instantly killed by the explosion. Born: Jul. 20, 1891 Died: Dec. 20, 1915. World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. A native of Guildford, Surrey, Smith moved with his family to Burnley, Lancashire, when his father was appointed chief constable there. After leaving school the younger Smith became a constable like his father, serving in Blackpool, Lancashire, just before the war. When he volunteered in October 1914, he was assigned as a second lieutenant to the East Lancashire Regiment and served at posts in England until he volunteered for active duty in the Middle East. He was sent to Gallipoli in May 1915 and was attached to a number of different units as a replacement in order to gain combat experience. Smith was awarded the VC for action at Fusilier Bluff, the northernmost corner of the British lines in the Helles sector, December 23, 1915. His unit was participating in a series of diversionary attacks on Turkish positions which were designed to take the Turks’ attention off the British and Anzac withdrawal from Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove, in preparation for a complete Allied withdrawal from the Gallipoli Peninsula. From his citation: "For most conspicuous bravery. He was in the act of throwing a grenade when it slipped from his hand and fell to the bottom of the trench, close to several of our officers and men. He immediately shouted out a warning, and himself jumped clear and into safety, but seeing that the officers and men were unable to get into cover, and knowing well that the grenade was due to explode, he returned without any hesitation and flung himself down on it. He was instantly killed by the explosion. His magnificent act of self-sacrifice undoubtedly saved many lives." Smith’s action was the last to be recognized with the VC for the Gallipoli Campaign. He was originally buried in a cemetery above Y Beach, with a cross marking his grave inscribed, simply, “He gave his life to save others.” After the Armistice his remains were moved to Twelve Tree Copse. His medals, including the French Croix de Guerre, are on display at the Towneley Hall Museum, Burnley. (bio by: Paul F. Wilson) |
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James
Somers was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross.
He was 31 years old, and a Sergeant in the 1st Bn., Royal Inniskilling
Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following
deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On the night of 1-2 July 1915, in Gallipoli, Turkey, when, owing to hostile bombing, some of our troops had retired from a sap, Sergeant Somers remained alone there until a party brought up bombs. He then climbed over into the Turkish trench and bombed the Turks with great effect. Later on, he advanced into the open under heavy fire and held back the enemy by throwing bombs into their flank until a barricade had been established. During this period, he frequently ran to and from our trenches to obtain fresh supplies of bombs. |
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a letter to his father, Somers wrote:
He had been severely wounded during the Retreat from Mons in August 1914. He died on 7th May 1918 (aged 33), and was buried with full military honours in Modreeny Church of Ireland cemetery. His Union Jack-draped coffin was carried on a gun carriage, led by the Pipe Band of the Cameron Highlanders. His headstone states simply.
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Frank Edward Stubbs
was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross.
He was 27 years old, and a 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 on W Beach, were met by a very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. |
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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.
Sergeant Stubbs 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'. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Fusilier Museum Lancashire (Bury, England). See also Cuthbert Bromley, John Elisha Grimshaw, William Keneally, Alfred Joseph Richards and Richard Raymond Willis. From Stubbs’s citation:
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Arthur
Walderne St. Clair Tisdall was 24 years old, and a Sub-Lieutenant
in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, (Anson Bn., Royal Naval Division)
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which
he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 at V Beach, Gallipoli, Turkey, during the landing from SS River Clyde, Sub-Lieutenant Tisdall, hearing wounded men on the beach calling for help, jumped into the water, and pushing a boat in front of him, went to their rescue. He found, however, that he could not manage alone, but with help from other naval personnel he made four or five trips from the ship to the shore and was responsible for rescuing several wounded men under heavy and accurate fire. He was killed in action, Achi Baba, Gallipoli, Turkey, on 6 May 1915. |
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Edward Unwin already had a
successful career at sea before the outbreak of the First World War.
After completion of his education he joined Donald Currie's sailing
ships, the P & O Company, and then served in the Egyptian
Navy.
He joined the Royal Navy on 16th October 1895 as a Lieutenant, promoted Lieutenant Commander in October 1903, and attained the rank of Commander upon retirement. Unwin was recalled to the Royal Navy on 29th July 1914 as the Fleet Coaling Officer to HMS Iron Duke on Admiral Jellicoe's staff. In February 1915 he was given command of HMS Hussar, and later in the year was given the acting rank of Captain for the River Clyde landings on the Gallipoli peninsular, planned for April 1915. |
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the guidance of Commander Unwin, the SS River Clyde, an old collier, was
prepared for landing thousands of troops on 'V' Beach, Seddul Bahr,
Gallipoli. Large holes were cut in the ship's side level with the decks,
and sloping gangways suspended by wire hawsers were run out so that the
men could rush down them as soon as the ship touched the ground. Barges
had been made fast to the sides of the steamer so that a floating bridge
might be formed from them if she grounded too far from the beach.
Alongside were five 'tows' of five boats each, packed with men of the
Dublin Fusiliers, who were to land first and cover the disembarkation of
the troops.
The open boats and River Clyde touched ground almost at the same moment and no sooner had the first of them grated on the bottom than a terrific fire was opened from the whole of the surrounding hills that dominated the beach. For a considerable distance to seaward the bottom had been strewn with barbed wire and as the Dublin Fusiliers leapt into the water they found themselves entangled in the wire and were shot down where they stood. The open boats were held fast and their naval crews were wiped out. As the River Clyde grounded, the lighters that were to form the bridge were run out ahead, and the troops began to pour out of the holes in her sides and down the gangways; but the lighters failed to reach their proper stations. A gap was left between two of them which it was impossible for the men to cross, and scores were shot down as they stood helpless on the uncompleted bridge. Commander Unwin and Able Seaman William Williams made a line fast to one of the drifting lighters and, dropping over the side, waded through the water and towed the barge towards a spit of rock that gave direct access to the shore. Midshipman George Drewry, of the Royal Naval Reserve, was already in the water wading ashore to make a land end of the towing rope. In the meantime, Command Unwin and Williams had nearly reached the rock with the lighter in tow when they found the rope they had was not long enough. Drewry at once went back to the ship to get another length, and while the other two were waiting, Williams was shot as he stood breast-deep in the water. Unwin carried him back to the lighter but Williams was already dead. When Drewry returned with the rope it did not take long to make the lighter fast, and then the troops began at once to pour across the shot-swept bridge. Presently a shot severed the lashing rope, and again the lighters went adrift. Midshipman Drewry was onboard the inshore barge, but was struck in the head by a fragment of shell, but he hastily bound his wound with a soldier's scarf, and jumping overboard with a line between his teeth, swam towards the other lighter. Once again the rope was too short but Midshipman Malleson threw himself over the side and succeeded in making the connection again; but once more it was broken, and although Malleson made two further attempts to carry a rope he was unsuccessful. Another hero of this costly exploit was Seaman George Samson, Royal Naval Reserve, who remained on the lighters the whole of the day, busying himself among the wounded and giving all the assistance he could to the officers as they carried the lines from lighter to lighter. In the meantime, Commander Unwin had been working amongst the lighters, nearly all the time above his waist in water. But the physical strain was beginning to tell, after all he was fifty-one years of age. The citation published in the London Gazette of 16 August 1915 neatly sums up the courage and fortitude of Captain Unwin during the landings from the River Clyde. [ London Gazette, 16 August 1915 ], V Beach, Seddul Bahr, Gallipoli, Turkey, 25 April 1915, Commander Edward Unwin, Royal Navy.
"While in SS River Clyde, observing that the lighters which were to form the bridge to the shore had broken adrift, Commander Unwin left the ship, and under a murderous fire attempted to get the lighters into position. He worked on, until suffering from the effects of cold and immersion, he was obliged to return to the ship, where he was wrapped up in blankets. Having in some degree recovered, he returned to his work against the doctor's order and completed it. He was later attended by the doctor for three abrasions caused by bullets, after which he once more left the ship, this time in a lifeboat, to save some wounded men who were lying in shallow water near the beach. He continued at this heroic labour under continuous fire, until forced to stop through physical exhaustion." Following his actions at Gallipoli, Edward Unwin continued his Naval career. In 1916 he was given command of HMS Amethyst on the south-east coast of America; January 1917 appointed Principal Naval Transport Officer, Egypt; and in January 1919 PNTO Eastern Mediterranean with the rank of Commodore. He died at his home in Hindhead on the 19th April 1950, aged 86, and is buried in St Luke's Churchyard, Greyshott, Surrey.
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Garth Neville
Walford was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross. He was 32 years
old, and a Captain in the Royal Regiment of Artillery, British Army
during the First World War when the following action took place for
which he was awarded the VC.
On 26 April 1915 after a landing had been made at the V Beach, Cape Helles on the Gallipoli peninsula, Turkey, during which the brigadier general and the brigade major had been killed, Captain Walford and another officer (Charles Hotham Montagu Doughty-Wylie) organised and made an attack through and on both sides of the village of Sedd-el-Bahr on the Old Fort at the top of the hill. |
| The enemy's position was very strongly entrenched and defended, but mainly due to the initiative, skill and great gallantry of the two officers the attack was a complete success. Both were killed in the moment of victory. | |
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Geoffrey
Saxton White was 31
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.
On 28 January 1918 in the Dardanelles, Turkey, Lieutenant-Commander White, commanding British submarine E.14 was under instructions to find the German battlecruiser Goeben, reported aground. She was not found, however, and E.14 turned back, but after firing a torpedo at an enemy ship a heavy explosion occurred, badly damaging the submarine. Lieutenant Commander White, after submerging for a time, was forced to bring E.14 to the surface where she was hit again and again until eventually the lieutenant-commander decided to try to ground her to give the crew a chance of being saved. |
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William Charles Williams joined the Boys
Service in Portsmouth in 1895. He was promoted to the boys' first class
in 1896, Seaman in 1898 and Able Seaman in 1901. He joined the Royal
Fleet Reserve in 1910 and was called to serve in the war in August 1914.
During his career, he served on eighteen different ships, more than once on some. Williams died at Gallipoli in 1915 performing an act of bravery. He was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. |
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Charles Williams was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross.
He was 34 years old, and a Able Seaman in the Royal Navy during the
First World War when the following deed took place for which he was
awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 during the landing on V Beach, Cape Helles, Gallipoli, Turkey, Able Seaman Williams, with three other men (George Leslie Drewry, Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson and George McKenzie Samson) was assisting the commander (Edward Unwin) of their ship, HMS River Clyde at the work of securing the lighters. He held on to a rope for over an hour, standing chest deep in the sea, under continuous fire. He was eventually dangerously wounded and later killed by a shell whilst his rescue was being effected by the commander who described him as the bravest sailor he had ever met. |
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Richard
Raymond Willis was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross. He
was 38 years old, and a Captain 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. |
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Willis was one of the six members of the regiment elected for the award,
the others being Cuthbert Bromley, John Elisha Grimshaw, William
Keneally, Alfred Joseph Richards and Frank Edward Stubbs. Willis later
achieved the rank of Major.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Fusilier Museum Lancashire (Bury, England). |
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