Upon returning to civilian life Samuel Meekosha bought a wholesale tobacconist’s business in Bradford. His wife helped to finance the concern. It seems to have begun well though when the expenses of town premises proved too heavy, Mrs Meekosha turned their home into a place of business. Initially, the venture seemed promising, though ‘bad debts and ill-luck’ forced him to sell out in about April 1929. For a while Meekosha was out of work, then, leaving his family in Bradford, he moved to Birmingham for a temporary job that paid only on commission. This was at the beginning of September 1929. Six weeks later the Bradford Telegraph and Argus contacted the Meekosha family, then residing at 288 Great Horton Road, Bradford, extending an offer of paying ‘the expenses incurred by Bradford’s VC during the reunion in London’. The offer was made after they had heard about Capt. Meekosha’s financial difficulties following the failure of his business. Mrs Meekosha considered the offer ‘very sporty’ and made it clear that without the newspaper’s assistance ‘it would have been impossible for my husband to attend the VCs dinner’. Capt. Meekosha was very grateful for the financial support and his attendance at the reunion dinner was assured by the fact that the railway companies had agreed ‘to allow the VCs to travel to London free’. Meekosha was then living at 21 Beaufort Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, but hoping to return to Bradford as soon as suitable permanent work could be found.
The VC reunion, though a pleasant occasion for Meekosha, proved also to be a source of great upset for him. Upon his return from London he told a reporter, ‘I am ashamed of my city. The treatment of me from the day I won the VC … has been more than scurvy. I have felt it greatly and have been hurt.’ Meekosha felt that his city did not care. This seemed to be reflected in the fact that, apart from one personal friend, there was no one to see him off at the train station. His return was equally unmarked. In contrast, other VCs from the Leeds area whom he met on the train were ‘full of talk about the glorious send-off which had been given them’. They were disgusted by the poor treatment meted out to their fellow VC. His ‘send-off’ also contrasted with the VCs’ reception in the south where they were mobbed by enthusiastic well-wishers. The other thing that rankled, as Meekosha told the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, was that he was unemployed and despite his efforts had been unsuccessful in securing a post in Bradford, yet total strangers he met in London had offered him a job. He made it clear that he did not wish people to think him conceited but that he was ‘concerned about the principle involved’. A letter appeared in the Bradford Daily Telegraph on Armistice Day 1929 suggesting that the city officials should invite Capt. Meekosha ‘to the functions in connection with the Prince of Wales’s visit’. This seems to have been arranged, for Meekosha’s ‘champion’, the Bradford Telegraph and Argus, reported on 13 November that ‘Captain Sam Meekosha, Bradford’s VC, to-day sent [the following] telegram … to the Prince of Wales’ who was staying at the Midland Hotel, Bradford: ‘Bradford’s VC respectfully reciprocates your London welcome. – Captain S Meekosha.’
The job offer that he showed the reporter on 13 November is unspecified, but in early 1930 he became a sales representative for John Player & Sons, covering South Wales. He lived for a time in Penarth, Glamorgan, later moving to Penrhiw Villas, Oakdale, Monmouthshire. Meekosha seems to have done well in his role within the John Player organization. An article in the trade magazine Tobacco, dated 1 February 1937, described the annual dinner and dance on 15 January of the South Wales and Monmouthshire branch of the Tobacco Trade Travellers’ Association presided over by ‘Captain S. Meekosha VC, chairman of the [above] branch’. His wife was with him and a representative of the Cardiff branch of the TTTA made a presentation to her. The affair was held at the Park Hotel, Cardiff. The article makes it clear that Capt. Samuel Meekosha’s branch was a newcomer, being referred to as ‘our baby of the Tobacco Travellers’ Association’.
With the coming of the Second World War Capt. Samuel Meekosha was commissioned in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps on 15 January 1940. A year later he changed his surname, by deed poll, to Ingham. Speculation continues as to whether he changed his instantly recognisable name to Ingham to acknowledge his mother’s shortened maiden name Cunningham, or to take on his second wife’s name, Mary Constance Ingham. Either way, he was a very modest man.On 6 October 1944, as Maj. Ingham, he transferred to the Regular Army Reserve of Officers. He was finally discharged from the Reserve of Officers on 6 October 1948.
Maj. Samuel Ingham died on 8 December 1950 at Blackwood, Monmouthshire. He was cremated at Pontypridd Crematorium. No other memorial to him is known. Besides the VC, Meekosha’s other medals included the 1914–15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals. He later received the George VI Coronation Medal of 1937 and the Defence Medal and the British War Medal (1939–45). His Victoria Cross was sold at auction in London on 3 May 2001 for a hammer price of £92,000 to an unknown buyer. The Second World War medals of his son Felix, who served in the Royal Engineers, were also sold at the same auction.
A.G. DRAKE
Near La Brique, Belgium 23 November
No. 8/107 Cpl Alfred George Drake of the 8th Bn, the Rifle Brigade, was part of a four-man patrol sent out into no-man’s-land on the night of 23 November to reconnoitre close to the German lines. When the enemy sent up a Very light, the small group was discovered, and subjected to a heavy burst of rifle and machine-gun fire; Lt Tryon, the patrol leader, and one rifleman were immediately hit. Drake ordered the surviving rifleman to help his fellow back to the British trenches. Lt Tryon would have died without immediate medical attention so Drake remained beside his officer, tending his wounds. As the official citation recounts, Drake ‘was last seen kneeling beside him and bandaging his [Tryon’s] wounds, regardless of the enemy’s fire’. A rescue party was sent out a little later and found Lt Tryon and Cpl Drake close to the German lines. The officer was unconscious, but his wound had been bandaged with skill and care; close by lay the dead body of Cpl Drake, riddled with bullets.
Alfred George Drake was born on 10 December 1893 at 19 Skidmore Street, Mile End, in Stepney, East London. The 1901 and 1911 Census show the family living at 42 Bale Street, St Dunstan, Stepney, Parish of Mile End Old Town. Alfred had five siblings but by 1911 only four children were still living in the four-roomed house with their father, Robert, a dock worker for The Port of London Authority, and mother Mary Ann. Bale Street was rated as ‘poor’ in the survey conducted by Booth in 1899, with family income of between 18 to 21 shillings per week. By 1911 Alfred, who had attended Ben Jonson County Council School until he was fourteen, was working as a Dock Messenger, now aged seventeen. On the outbreak of war he wanted to join up straight away; however, due to family illness, he joined up on 3 September 1914 and went into the Rifle Brigade, arriving in France in May 1915. He was promoted to corporal within nine weeks.
Alfred George Drake was born on 10 December 1893 at 19 Skidmore Street, Mile End, in Stepney, East London. The 1901 and 1911 Census show the family living at 42 Bale Street, St Dunstan, Stepney, Parish of Mile End Old Town. Alfred had five siblings but by 1911 only four children were still living in the four-roomed house with their father, Robert, a dock worker for The Port of London Authority, and mother Mary Ann. Bale Street was rated as ‘poor’ in the survey conducted by Booth in 1899, with family income of between 18 to 21 shillings per week. By 1911 Alfred, who had attended Ben Jonson County Council School until he was fourteen, was working as a Dock Messenger, now aged seventeen. On the outbreak of war he wanted to join up straight away; however, due to family illness, he joined up on 3 September 1914 and went into the Rifle Brigade, arriving in France in May 1915. He was promoted to corporal within nine weeks.
After giving his life to save his officer he was gazetted for a posthumous VC on 22 January 1916. The award was presented to his father, Mr Robert Drake, on 16 November 1916. He is buried at La Brique Military Cemetery, Plot I, Row C, Grave 2. In April 1923 a memorial was unveiled at the Ben Jonson London County Council School by the Earl of Cavan. Dam
e Clara Butt was present and sang ‘O Rest in the Lord’. Maj. Tryon MP, a cousin of Lt Henry Tryon who’s life Drake had saved, was also at the ceremony. Unfortunately Henry Tryon, after recovering from his wounds and rejoining his regiment, was killed on 15 September 1916 and the name of Captain H. Tryon (as he then was), appears on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing.
In April 1923 a lectern was dedicated to Arthur George Drake at St Thomas Church, Arbour Square, Stepney, but in 1941 the church was hit by incendiary bombs and had to be closed. During the 1950s the ruins of the church were demolished and flats erected on the site.
W. YOUNG
Near ‘Little Z’, East of Foncquevillers, France, 22 December
During the winter of 1915 (and, indeed, until the following summer) the 8th (Service) Bn, East Lancashire Regt, occupied one part of the British 37th Div.’s front along the Foncquevillers–Monchy au Bois line, 700 yards east of Foncquevillers and about 1,800 yards north of Gommecourt. The trenches were virtually impassable in late December because of the constant wet weather which made them waterlogged. The trench conditions were so miserable that platoon reliefs were carried out every twenty-four hours. In these conditions, action was limited to bombing raids, wire-cutting and night patrols. No. 17742 Sgt Allan of the 8th East Lancs was wounded in the thigh while on patrol. As the light increased on the morning of 22 December, No. 5938 Pte W. Young of the 8th East Lancs looked across no-man’s-land and saw a company NCO lying in front of the wire, wounded. On his own initiative Young climbed over the parapet and, disregarding the enemy’s fire, went into no-man’s-land to aid Sgt Allan.
The NCO told Young to get under cover but his advice was ignored. While attempting to get Sgt Allan to a place of safety Pte Young was almost immediately hit by two bullets; one shattered his jaw, the other struck him in the chest. Despite his severe wounds Young, now joined by Pte Green, managed to bring in their wounded NCO. Young walked back to the dressing station in the village of Foncquevillers to have his wounds treated. Pte Green was given a green card which resulted in the award of a DCM, and with remarks to the effect that his conduct had been reported to higher authority. Young’s VC was gazetted on 30 March 1916.
William Young was born at Maryhill, Glasgow, on 1 January 1876. He was the son of Samuel Young, a contractors’ labourer, and of his wife Mary Ellen. William was educated at a local elementary school and joined the Army at the age of 15 years. After serving as a regular soldier he was put on the Reserve. Returning to civilian life he was employed in a variety of labouring jobs and at the outbreak of war he was working at the Preston Gas Company’s gas works. He and his wife had eight children at this time, and a ninth was born later, the family residing at 7 Heysham Street, Preston, Lancashire.
Upon mobilization he rejoined the Army, sailing to France on 14 September 1914. He was involved in some of the early fighting and suffered a bullet wound in the thigh in November. He returned to duty and was gassed in the spring of 1915. His eyesight was affected and he did not return to the front until the winter, when he won the VC on almost his first time back in the trenches.
Young was brought to England for treatment of the wounds he received in his VC action, being moved from the Military Hospital at Rouen where his initial medical care began, to hospitals in Exeter, London and Aldershot. He appeared to be making good progress in his recovery and on 19 April 1916 he returned to Preston to a hero’s welcome and a civic reception. A fund was started for the benefit of his family by local people. After further hospital treatment Young returned home for ten days’ leave at the end of June and early July. Afterwards he went back to the Cambridge Hospital, Aldershot, for a final operation. He did not recover consciousness after the operation – apparently the chloroform had affected his heart. He died at 08.55 hours on 27 August 1916, his wife at his bedside. The local fund begun for the Young family then stood at £560 and the money was duly passed on to Mrs Young. Some of the money was invested to give the family a return of about 10 shillings per week.
William Young was given an impressive military funeral and his coffin, draped in a Union Jack, was borne on a gun carriage. He was buried at Preston’s old cemetery near to the New Hall Lane entrance on 31 August 1916, and he lies in Plot 5, Row C, Grave 10. His medals were presented to Maj.-Gen. Houston, Colonel of the Queen’s Lancashire Regt, on Sunday 7 July 1985 by Pte Young’s son, Mr William H. Young.
SOURCES
The sources used in the preparation of this book include the following :
Lummis VC files at the National Army Museum, London
The Victoria Cross files at the Imperial War Museum, London
The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
The Royal Artillery Institution, Woolwich
Regimental Museums and Archives
The London Gazette 1914–20 (HMSO)
www.victoriacross.org.uk
www.victoriacross.org.uk
The Scottish War Memorials Project
www.ukniwm.org.uk
M.J. O’Leary
The Sphere 3 July 1915
Daily Telegraph various issues
War Budget 6 March 1915, 22 July 1915
1st Irish Guards War Diary (WO95/1342 PRO)
The Times 25 June 1920, 1 November 1937
Daily Mail
Daily Express 17 June 1940
The People 10 March 1940
RCMP Quarterly Vol 27 No 2 October 1961
The Ranger July 1962
Household Brigade Magazine
Madame Tussaud’s
RCMP Historical Branch
Gobar Sing Negi
2/39th Garhwal Rifles War Diary (WO95/3945 PRO)
New Delhi Evening News 10 June 1970
Journal of the Connaught Rangers Association. No. 3. Vol. 1. January 2006.
W. Buckingham
2nd Leicester Regt War Diary (WO95/3945 PRO)
Record Office for Leicestershire, Leicester & Rutland
J. Rivers
Nottingham Guardian 8 April 1937
Derbyshire Advertiser 26 July 1935
Derby Evening Telegraph 5 March 1937 and 7 April 1937
www.nottinghamshire-victoria-cross-memorial.org.uk
Derek Price
W. Anderson
The Green Howards Gazette May 1969
C.C. Foss
2nd Bedfordshire Regt War Diary (WO 95/1658 PRO)
Daily Graphic 29 August 1949
Daily Telegraph 11 April 1953
The Statesman (Calcutta)
Times of India
Biggleswade Chronicle
Sid Lindsay
E. Barber
Lloyds Weekly News 18 April 1915
1st Grenadier Guards War Diary (WO 95/1658 PRO)
W.D. Fuller
Nottingham Guardian
Sheffield Telegraph 6 May 1935
Western Daily Press 8 July 1935
Bristol Evening Post 26 September 1935
Bath and Wilts Chronicle 29 January 1936
The Times 27 November 1947
Police Review 4 December 1987
H. Daniels
Eastern Daily Press various issues
Daily Mail 17 May 1915
Sunday Express
The Aldershot News February 1925
South Wales Echo 19 June 1933
Burnley Express 9 February 1938
Yorkshire Evening News 14 December 1953
Yorkshire Post 21 December 1953
The Caterer
2nd Rifle Brigade War Diary (WO 95/1731 PRO)
Local and Family History, Library and Information Service, Leeds City Council
Leeds Grand Theatre
Dave Stowe
C.R. Noble
Bournemouth Evening Echo 13 July 1979
Bournemouth Borough Council
C.G. Martin
56th Field Company R.E. War Diary (WO 95/2784 PRO)
Bath Chronicle 1 July 1933
Bath and Wilts Chronicle 8 June 1940
Daily Express 2 May
1915
Daily Telegraph c 24 May 1915
‘Sapper’ February 1981
The Royal Engineers Journal 1981
R. Morrow
1st Royal Irish Fusiliers War Diary (WO 95/1428 PRO)
Courier and News (Ulster) 9 November 1988
G.R.P. Roupell
1st East Surrey Regt War Diary (WO/95 1563 PRO)
The Journal of The East Surrey Regt November 1956
Soldier Article – date unknown
The Journal of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regt November 1963
The Old Contemptible April 1970 and October 1973
The Times 21 November 1947
Daily Telegraph 6 March 1974
Who’s Who 1960
B.H. Geary
Daily Sketch 1 August 1934
Daily Telegraph 1 August 1934
Montreal Daily Star 15 January 1935
Toronto Globe 19 April 1935
London Gazette 30 September 1927
Crockford’s Clergy List 1936
Who’s Who 1949
This England Winter 1970
G.H. Woolley
9th London Regt (QVR) War Diary (WO 95/1558 PRO)
Suffolk Chronicle and Mercury 12 July 1915
Daily Telegraph 12 December 1968
E. Dwyer
1st East Surrey Regt War Diary (WO 95/1563 PRO)
The War Budget 8 July 1915
Daily Mail 29 June 1915 and 11 September 1916
Daily Telegraph 10 July 1915
Morning Post 14 July 1915 and 11 September 1916
Fulham Chronicle various issues
Surrey Comet 3 March 1962
Journal of The Queen’s Royal Surrey Regt November 1962
F. Fisher
Department of Public Records and Archives, Historical Branch, Canada
Victor 14 January 1967
13th Canadian Infantry Battalion War Diary (WO 95/1263 PRO)
F.W. Hall
8th Canadian Infantry Battalion War Diary (WO 95/3769 PRO)
VCs of the First World War 1915 The Western Front Page 27