VICTORIA GROSS AWARDS

Evening Post, Volume XC, Issue 55, 2 September 1915, Page 7

VICTORIA GROSS AWARDS

(Received September 2, 11.50 a.m.) • LONDON, Ist September. Five more Victoria. Crosses have baea awarded. The recipients include: — Major Wheeler, of the 7th Hariana, Lancers. He twice led a squadron in a lance charge on the Turkish positions at Shaiba, and was killed on the 13th April while far ahead of hie men, riding singlehanded straight for the Turkish stand, trds. Capt. O'Sullivan, Ist Inniskilling Fusiliers. — South-west of Krithia, on the night of Ist July, when an essential portion of a lost trench should be regained, Capt. O'Sullivan, although not belonging t*. the troop* at that point, rolunteered to lead the comb-throwers. Ca.pt. O'Sullivan, in order to throw bombs with greater,, effect, got uj) on -the parapet, where he was completely exposed to the Turkish fire. He waa finally wounded, but his inspiring example enabled the party to recapture the trench. • 2nd Lieut. Roehfort, Ist Soots Guarrlt. -^He acted bravely on 3rd August, between Cambrian and La Bassee. A German trench mortar bomb landed near a working party. Lieut. Roehfort might easi'y have stepped around a corner into perfect safety, but instead shouted to the men to look out, and ran to the bomb and hurled it over the parapet, when it exploded immediately. His splendid combination of presence of mind and courage saved many lives. 2nd Lieut. James, 4th Worcestershire Regiment. — On 25th July, in the southern zone at Gallipoli, when a portion of a regiment was checked owing to all the officers being 'killed or wounded, Lieut. James, who belonged to a neighbouring unit, gathered a body of men and led them forward under heavy shell and rifle fire, then returned and organised a second papfcy, putting fresh life into the attack. Lieut. James, 00. 3rd July, headed a bomb-throwers' attack on • Turkish communication trench, when nearly all the wounded remained alone, and kept back the enemy single-handed until a barrier was built behind him, and "til* trench secured. Throughout he was exposed to a murderous fire. Sergeant Somers, Ist Inniskilling Fusi-liers.—-On the night of Ist July, in, the southern zone on Gallipoli, when some British troops retired from a sap owing to bombing, Somers remained alone until a party brought up bombs. Somers then climbed the Turkish, trench and bombed, the Turks with great effect. Later h© advanced into the open and held back the enemy, throwing bombs on their flank until a barricade was established. Throughout he ran to and from the trenches obtaining fresh supplies of bombs. His great gallantry and coolness, were ' large instrumental in recapturing a portion of -our lost trench.