Our local Victoria Cross Heroes
THE THREE VCs
1) William Colman Bees
WCB was born in Midsomer Norton on 12 September 1871, the son of William, a farm labourer, and Jane Bees, nee Dolman. William snr died and Jane and her son went to her home county of Derbyshire.
On 7 March1890, William enlisted as a Private in the 1st Bn The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment). He was posted to India, serving on the N-W Frontier with 2nd Bn until 25 January 1898, when he moved to the Reserves. On 4 August he returned to the Colours and was posted to Malta with the 2nds before rejoining the 1stBn.
The 2nd Boer War started on 12 October 1899 and the Battalion sailed via Suez, arriving in South Africa in November that year. They were only involved in convoy work for most of the time (presumably escorting supply trains or wagons) but did end up in a skirmish at Vlakfontein on 28 May 1901, when 18 of their battalion were killed and 70 wounded. By then the Boers were using guerilla tactics, with the British burning farms and imprisoning families, tactics that did not help their image around the world..
On 29 September 1901 one such force of c1000 men under Colonel R Kekewich camped up on the eastern bank of the Selons River at Moedvil Farm, west of Pretoria. They thought themselves safe and 200 rode off with prisoners to put them into -effectively- a concentration camp. The rest set guards and organised patrols but had not realised they had been tailed for a week by 1500 Boers who crept up the dry river bed.
In darkness at 0445hrs a patrol saw the Boers and fighting began. William was in a team of nine on a Maxim gun. 6 were killed or wounded, the latter crying out for water. He grabbed a kettle, ran 500hrs to a small stream held by the Boers, filled it and raced back, passing within 100hrs of rocks each time, from behind which they were shooting too. The kettle was hit several times but he was unscathed.
The battle ebbed and flowed but by 0615hrs the Boers had been beaten off and they left on horseback. 200 British men and all 300 horse had been killed or injured but only 60 Boers.
William was promoted to Corporal next day and recommended for the VC. It was presented by Kitchener himself in June 1902.
William moved to the Reserves and got married in c1903. When the Great War broke out he re-enlisted twice but only served on home soil. He died in June 1938 and is buried in Coalville.
THE THREE VCs
1) William Colman Bees
WCB was born in Midsomer Norton on 12 September 1871, the son of William, a farm labourer, and Jane Bees, nee Dolman. William snr died and Jane and her son went to her home county of Derbyshire.
On 7 March1890, William enlisted as a Private in the 1st Bn The Sherwood Foresters (Derbyshire Regiment). He was posted to India, serving on the N-W Frontier with 2nd Bn until 25 January 1898, when he moved to the Reserves. On 4 August he returned to the Colours and was posted to Malta with the 2nds before rejoining the 1stBn.
The 2nd Boer War started on 12 October 1899 and the Battalion sailed via Suez, arriving in South Africa in November that year. They were only involved in convoy work for most of the time (presumably escorting supply trains or wagons) but did end up in a skirmish at Vlakfontein on 28 May 1901, when 18 of their battalion were killed and 70 wounded. By then the Boers were using guerilla tactics, with the British burning farms and imprisoning families, tactics that did not help their image around the world..
On 29 September 1901 one such force of c1000 men under Colonel R Kekewich camped up on the eastern bank of the Selons River at Moedvil Farm, west of Pretoria. They thought themselves safe and 200 rode off with prisoners to put them into -effectively- a concentration camp. The rest set guards and organised patrols but had not realised they had been tailed for a week by 1500 Boers who crept up the dry river bed.
In darkness at 0445hrs a patrol saw the Boers and fighting began. William was in a team of nine on a Maxim gun. 6 were killed or wounded, the latter crying out for water. He grabbed a kettle, ran 500hrs to a small stream held by the Boers, filled it and raced back, passing within 100hrs of rocks each time, from behind which they were shooting too. The kettle was hit several times but he was unscathed.
The battle ebbed and flowed but by 0615hrs the Boers had been beaten off and they left on horseback. 200 British men and all 300 horse had been killed or injured but only 60 Boers.
William was promoted to Corporal next day and recommended for the VC. It was presented by Kitchener himself in June 1902.
William moved to the Reserves and got married in c1903. When the Great War broke out he re-enlisted twice but only served on home soil. He died in June 1938 and is buried in Coalville.
2) Oliver Brooks
Oliver was born in Paulton in 1889 but the family moved to Welton within 18 months. He was 7th of 8 children. He attended St John's School, Midsomer Norton and then worked in Norton Hill Pit as a carting boy, using a guss and crook to pull the putts. He enlisted in the 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards on 17/4/1906. Almost two years later his brother Andrew was one of the ten killed in the explosion at the same colliery.
Oliver served for seven years, then going into the Reserves. He found a job managing the picture house/theatre at Peasedown but was mobilized when WW1 started. They sailed to Le Havre as part of the BEF and took part in all the major battles, including Mons and the Aisne. In 1915 he became a Lance Sergeant.
A battle earlier in the year had gone badly for the French and their leader, Joffre, was in overall command of the Allied forces. As the result of his insistence, the British became involved in his next big attack and had to go on the offensive despite being underprepared, having no set objectives for the advance and having to do so over totally unsuitable terrain. The result was the Battle of Loos. The British advance cut into the German defence line on 3 October 1915 and the former counter-attacked on 8 October, advancing southward to straighten the Front Line. Oliver's company were in their trenches when two of three trenches held by the Grenadier Guards were overrun. The third was being infiltrated when Oliver saw the danger, took six bombers and some riflemen and succeeded in forcing the Germans back out of the trench. He was promoted to Sergeant immediately for this action and recommended, then awarded the VC. The King was in France but had fallen off his horse and broken his pelvis. Despite being prostrate in bed on a hospital train he insisted impinging the medal onto Oliver's tunic personally and did so with some help.
He was lauded by his home town and by the media and became a great help at recruitment campaigns. There was advertising, including one cartoon showing soldiers in the trenches for Fry's: "Please send more cocoa; we cannot have enough."He returned to France but was wounded in the head and shoulders in September1916. After recovering he became a trainer for bomb throwers in France, then married, had four children, worked as a commissaire at the Harte and Garter Hotel in Windsor, then transferring to a similar post at the Dorchester Hotel in London in c1932 when it opened. He died on 25/10/1940 and is buried in Windsor.
Oliver was born in Paulton in 1889 but the family moved to Welton within 18 months. He was 7th of 8 children. He attended St John's School, Midsomer Norton and then worked in Norton Hill Pit as a carting boy, using a guss and crook to pull the putts. He enlisted in the 3rd Bn Coldstream Guards on 17/4/1906. Almost two years later his brother Andrew was one of the ten killed in the explosion at the same colliery.
Oliver served for seven years, then going into the Reserves. He found a job managing the picture house/theatre at Peasedown but was mobilized when WW1 started. They sailed to Le Havre as part of the BEF and took part in all the major battles, including Mons and the Aisne. In 1915 he became a Lance Sergeant.
A battle earlier in the year had gone badly for the French and their leader, Joffre, was in overall command of the Allied forces. As the result of his insistence, the British became involved in his next big attack and had to go on the offensive despite being underprepared, having no set objectives for the advance and having to do so over totally unsuitable terrain. The result was the Battle of Loos. The British advance cut into the German defence line on 3 October 1915 and the former counter-attacked on 8 October, advancing southward to straighten the Front Line. Oliver's company were in their trenches when two of three trenches held by the Grenadier Guards were overrun. The third was being infiltrated when Oliver saw the danger, took six bombers and some riflemen and succeeded in forcing the Germans back out of the trench. He was promoted to Sergeant immediately for this action and recommended, then awarded the VC. The King was in France but had fallen off his horse and broken his pelvis. Despite being prostrate in bed on a hospital train he insisted impinging the medal onto Oliver's tunic personally and did so with some help.
He was lauded by his home town and by the media and became a great help at recruitment campaigns. There was advertising, including one cartoon showing soldiers in the trenches for Fry's: "Please send more cocoa; we cannot have enough."He returned to France but was wounded in the head and shoulders in September1916. After recovering he became a trainer for bomb throwers in France, then married, had four children, worked as a commissaire at the Harte and Garter Hotel in Windsor, then transferring to a similar post at the Dorchester Hotel in London in c1932 when it opened. He died on 25/10/1940 and is buried in Windsor.
3) George Prowse
George was born near Llantrisant in South Wales on 29 August 1886. His father was a miner. They moved to Meadgate Camerton, where the father worked in the pit, George following him. George moved back to Wales, boarding at Grovesend and working in Gorseinon Colliery. He married Sarah Lewis on 8 November 1913 at Swansea Registry Office. There were no cbildren.
He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves on 26/2/1915 and sailed to the Dardanelles that September. In August 1916 he landed at Marseilles with his battalion (which acquitted itself well in the latter stages of the Somme campaign). He was injured on 13 November, recovered, was injured again in April 1917 but still wanted more action. On 21/8/1918 he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, attacking machine gun posts.
The German front line was crumbling and the 23rd Division advanced again through Proville on 2 September 1918. By then a Chief Petty Officer, he led a series of attacks on machine gun posts and gun replacements and was awarded the VC for his fearlessness and the superb example he set his men. The advance continued and they supported tanks crossing the dry- bottomed but high-speed Canal du Nord before attacking near Arleux. He was struck by a bullet and killed instantly.
There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
THE VICTORIA CROSS; OUR LOCAL HEROES🖤COME TO THE SOMER CENTRE ON TUESDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2018, 7:30PM Somer Centre, Gullock Tyning, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2UH.
You will hear all about three men from NE Somerset and their acts of gallantry in illustrated stories from the Second Boer War in 1901 and the Western Front in 1915 and 1918. These local men won the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Admission £4.
George was born near Llantrisant in South Wales on 29 August 1886. His father was a miner. They moved to Meadgate Camerton, where the father worked in the pit, George following him. George moved back to Wales, boarding at Grovesend and working in Gorseinon Colliery. He married Sarah Lewis on 8 November 1913 at Swansea Registry Office. There were no cbildren.
He enlisted in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves on 26/2/1915 and sailed to the Dardanelles that September. In August 1916 he landed at Marseilles with his battalion (which acquitted itself well in the latter stages of the Somme campaign). He was injured on 13 November, recovered, was injured again in April 1917 but still wanted more action. On 21/8/1918 he won the Distinguished Conduct Medal, attacking machine gun posts.
The German front line was crumbling and the 23rd Division advanced again through Proville on 2 September 1918. By then a Chief Petty Officer, he led a series of attacks on machine gun posts and gun replacements and was awarded the VC for his fearlessness and the superb example he set his men. The advance continued and they supported tanks crossing the dry- bottomed but high-speed Canal du Nord before attacking near Arleux. He was struck by a bullet and killed instantly.
There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.
THE VICTORIA CROSS; OUR LOCAL HEROES🖤COME TO THE SOMER CENTRE ON TUESDAY 6TH NOVEMBER 2018, 7:30PM Somer Centre, Gullock Tyning, Midsomer Norton, BA3 2UH.
You will hear all about three men from NE Somerset and their acts of gallantry in illustrated stories from the Second Boer War in 1901 and the Western Front in 1915 and 1918. These local men won the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Admission £4.
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