James Welch - Definition and Overview

James Welch was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was 27 years old, and a Lance-Corporal in the 1st Bn., The Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte of Wales's), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 29 April 1917 near Oppy, France, Lance-Corporal Welch entered an enemy trench and killed one man after a severe hand-to-hand struggle. Then, armed only with an empty revolver, he chased four of the enemy across the open and captured them single-handed. He handled his machine-gun with the utmost fearlessness, and more than once went into the open, exposed to heavy fire, to search for and collect ammunition and spare parts in order to keep his guns in action, which he succeeded in doing for over five hours, until wounded by a shell.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of Sergeant.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the The Royal Gloucestershire, Berkshire and Wiltshire Regiment (Salisbury) Museum (Salisbury, Wiltshire, England).

Reference

• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

See also

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/dorset.htm) (Dorset)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference (http://www.victoriacross.net) with permission.