Yorkshire Heroes
In my search for more Yorkshire Roses I discovered that many of our lads were awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery in the hot, steamy Crimea, far away in India, along the muddy, pungent trenches of WW1, the various campaigns during WW2 and not forgetting in the Falklands. I wanted to put them all together in one place, not only to be on war memorials in their home towns or villages but together online for all to see. There are other heroic Roses too that I'm sure will be planted in this website garden. These lads would not have considered themselves to be hero's but they were. Let them represent the many unsung Yorkshire heroes out there.
Flt. Sgt. Arthur L. AARON (1922-1943) was born in Leeds. In 1943 Arthur was captain and pilot of a Stirling on it's way to bomb Turin, Italy. 3 engines had been hit and the plane became unstable. Arthur received severe facial and other injuries. Yet he still tried to pilot his wounded plane and find a safe place to land for his crew. Finally the plane was landed and 9 hours later Arthur died. King George V1 awarded him the VC. He attended Roundhay School and graduated in 1941 from Leeds School of Architecture. He earned his wings in 1942 and was assigned to 218 Sqd RAF Volunteer Reserve. A memorial scholarship to help with architectural studies was launched in 1944 and it still continues today. A statue was unveiled to him at Eastgate, Leeds in 2001.
Eric ANDERSON (1915-1943) born in Flagley, Bradford, Yorkshire. He Was with the 5th. Batt. East Yorkshire Regt. In 1943 at the Wadi Akarit, Tunisia. Eric, a stretcher bearer risked his life to rescue wounded soldiers, and was helping another when he was mortally wounded. For this action he was awarded the VC. He is buried in a War Cemetery in Tunisia.
Sgt. Alfred Atkinson, soldier, born 1874 Leeds, Yorkshire. Served in the Yorkshire Regt. (Green Howards). Won a VC in the Second Boer War, 18 Feb, 1900; died 21 Feb, 1900 at Paardeberg, Transvaal. He is buried at Gruisbank British Cem., Paadeberg. His VC medal is in the Green Howard Museum, Richmond, Yorkshire.
Donald Simpson BELL was born 1890 in Harrogate, Yorkshire, where he become a teacher. He enjoyed playing football and played for the Bradford Park Avenue FC in 1913. In 1914 he enlisted and joined the West Yorkshire Regiment. He was commissioned as a 2nd. Lt. into the Green Howards in 1915, they went to France in the summer of 1916 into the Battle of the Somme. He was awarded the VC for his 'most conspicious bravery', five days later the Germans attacked them again and Bell was killed. A memorial was erected to his memory near Contalmaison in 2002.
Thomas BRYAN moved to Yorkshire from Worcestershire when he was a young child. He was born in 1882. He played Rugby for Castleford until the club closed for financial reasons. A miner, he enlisted in 1915 and was drafted into the Northumberland Fusiliers. He showed great courage at Vimy Ridge in 1917 and was awarded the VC personally by the King at a ceremony in Newcastle. After war he returned to the pits before becoming a greengrocer in Bentley near Doncaster. He died in 1945 at age 63.
William Boynton BUTLER was born in Armley, Leeds in 1894. He worked in the local coal mines from the age of 13. At first he was rejected by the army in WW1 because of his stature but then he was accepted by the 17th. Batt. of the West Yorkshire Regt. He was awarded the VC for his brave actions in Lampire, France and was invested by King George V at Buckingham Palace in 1917. He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre from the French. After the war he worked for the North East Gas Board in Leeds. He served in the Home Guard during WW2. He died in 1972 after a long illness.
Pte. George Wm. CHAFER (1894-1966)born Bradford;died Bramley near Rotherham. Served in the 1st. Bn. East Yorkshire Regiment. Won the VC in Meaulte, France - 1916
Sgt. James FIRTH (1874-1921) born & died in Sheffield. Served in the Duke of Wellington's Regiment. Won the VC at Plewman's Farm, Arundel, 2nd. Boer War - 1900
Wilfred EDWARDS was born 1893 (unkown place) but grew up in Leeds. He went into the 7th. Batt. of the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was awarded the VC for his brave actons in the fighting at Ypres. He captured 3 German officers and 30 men. He was commissioned in 1917 to 2nd. Lt. He re-enlisted in WW2 and rose to the rank of Major. He died in 1972.
Jack HARRISON born 1897 in Hull, Yorkshire, a Rugby League player for Hull, killed in France 1917 near the Pas-de-Calais. His body was never found. He was awarded the VC for bravery.
Maj. Alan Richard HILL-WALKER (1859-1944) born Northallerton;died Thirsk. Served in the Northamptonshire Regt. Won the VC at Laing's Neck, 1st. Boer War.
Pte Joel HOLMES (1821-1872) born & died Halifax, Yorkshire. Served with the 84th. Regt. (Yorks. & Lancs.). Won the VC at Char Bagh, Lucknow, Indian Mutiny - 1857
Capt. Matthew HUGHES (1822-1882) born & died in Bradford, Yorkshire. Served with the 7th. Regt. (Royal Fusiliers). Won VC at Sebastopol, Crimea - 1855
Charles Smith HULL (1890-1953) He was in the 21st. Lancers (Empress of India's), British Army. In 1915 he rescued an officer from tribesmen in the North West Frontier by pulling him on to the back of his horse after the officer's horse had been killed. They rode away under close, heavy fire. After the war he joined the Leeds Police Force.
Frederick McNESS was born 1890 in Bramley, Leeds. He won his VC at Guinchy in the Battle of the Somme. He was severely wounded in the neck and jaw but kept on fighting. He was to marry the nurse that took care of him in hospital. He eventually retired to Bournemouth where he died.
Albert MOUNTAIN (1895-1967) born Garforth, Leeds. He was a member of the 15th/17th. West Yorkshire Regt. When he was 22 he led a party of 10 men armed with a single Lewis gun against 200 of the enemy at Hamellincourt during the Battle of the Somme 1918. He was awarded the VC, the Croix de Guerre and the Medaille Militaire. He later became 'mine host' at the Miner's Arms in Garforth for many years until his death at the age of 72.
Arthur POULTER (1893-1956) was born in East Witton near Middleham, Yorkshire. He was the youngest of 12 children. At 19 he went to Leeds to work for the brewer Timothy Taylor & Co. He developed great strength which helped when carrying wounded soldiers to safety near Armentiers in WW1. Fighting was severe, out of 5 officers and 139 other ranks, only 1 officer and 9 men returned. Arthur was awarded the VC for his bravery under severe conditions. Later he was wounded behind the ear. It took several operations before he fully recovered. He and his wife Ada had 10 children. He died in 1956 aged 62. In 1998 a memorial was unveiled in France near the site of his bravery.
Sgt John RAYNES was awarded the Victoria Cross for "conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty" and promoted to Sgt Major before being discharged from the army in December 1918. Read More »
George SANDERS was born in 1894 at New Wortley, Leeds, son of Thomas and Amy. After finishing school he was indentured as an apprentice fitter at the Airedale Foundry. He enlisted in 1914 and was drafted into the 17th. Batt., The Prince of Wales Own Yorkshire Regt. They landed at Boulogne in April, 1915 and the became involved in the battle of the Somme. Under heavy bombardment from the enemy, the West Yorkshire's were withdrawn but George and 30 others were left behind. He set about organising their defense. They withstood heavy attacks for 2 days and 2 nights. George was finally able to return to the British lines with only 19 men. Cpl. George Sanders was awarded the VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace in 1916. In 1917 George was awarded a commission. The following year the West Yorkshires were fighting strongly against the enemy and George was awarded the Military Cross but was taken prisoner of war in the action. He was released in 1918 and demobbed in 1919. George died in Leeds in 1950 at age 56.
Thomas STEELE, born 1891 in Springfield, Oldham, WR Yorkshire. He played Rugby for Broughton. He was a Sgt. in the 1st. Seaforth Highlanders and was awarded the VC for bravery against the Turkish army in what is now Iraq during WW1. He died at his home in Springfield at age 87 in 1978.
Charles Burley WARD(1877-1921) born 1877 in Leeds, son of George, enlisted 1897 into the The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry- in which he served for 2 years then transferred into the 2nd. Batt. During a severe attack from the Boers he volunteered to take a message, through enemy held territory, to a signalling station to send for help. Charles arrived safely but decided to return to his comrades to encourage them during the battle at Lindley, even though he had been severely wounded. He was awarded a VC for his brave actions. He died at Bridgend, and was buried at Glamorgan St Mary's Churchyard, Cardiff, South Glamorgan.
Bombadier Thomas WILKINSON (1831-1887) born & died in York, Yorkshire. Served with the Royal Marine Artillery. Won VC at Sebastopol, Crimea - 1855
