Post by Wasp on Apr 3, 2008 23:03:47 GMT
Actions of Afghan grenade hero revives memories of Ulster Victoria Cross winner
www.newsletter.co.uk/n...3939788.jp
By Steven Moore
14th Royal Irish Rifles, William McFadzean is in back row second from the left
14th Royal Irish Rifles, William McFadzean is in back row second from the left
The courage of Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher, who shielded his comrades by lying across an Afghan grenade, may earn him the Victoria Cross. STEVEN MOORE reports on how this act of bravery has revived memories of Ulster soldier William McFadzean who, at the Battle of the Somme, gave his life to save his mates
On July 13, 1916, the News Letter proudly told its readers that "the finest individual deed yet recorded in connection with the great offensive movement which began on the 1st July is to the credit of a gallant Belfastman".
The report quoted from a letter of sympathy sent to the father of Private William McFadzean by James McKee, an officer of his battalion: "You will have great satisfaction in knowing that he died a hero's death.
"Our men were in the assembly trenches, and bombs were being distributed. Your son had a box passed to him, and in the passing some bombs dropped out. In falling, the safety pins fell out; and your son, realising the danger to his comrades, flung himself on top of the bombs.
"He was killed, and two others were slightly wounded. He saved the lives of a number of his comrades by his action, and we are proud of him."
In fact, Private William Frederick McFadzean had been born in Lurgan on October 9, 1895, but had moved to Belfast as a child, living in the Cregagh area in a house known as Rubicon.
He attended Mountpottinger Boys' School and later the Trade Preparatory School at the Municipal Technical Institute, where his class reports indicate he was far from a model student. Nonetheless, he was taken on as an apprentice by the linen company of Spence, Bryson and Co on Great Victoria Street.
At 6ft tall and weighing 13 stones, he proved himself a useful player for Collegians' rugby club and an enthusiastic member of the 1st Ballynafeigh and Newtownbreda contingent of the East Belfast Regiment of the UVF.
Like most members of "Carson's Army," he initially held back from enlisting while talks on the political future of the Province were concluded.
On September 22, 1914, he signed up, aged 20, with the 14th Royal Irish Rifles. Many of its members came from the initially non-political youth group the Young Citizen Volunteers, which William had joined through the Central Presbyterian Association.
Because of his height, McFadzean was made a "bomber" and clearly took to the military life. He wrote to his parents: "You people at home make me quite proud when you tell me I am the soldier boy of the McFadzeans. I hope to play the game and if I don't add much lustre to it, I certainly will not tarnish it."
There was no danger of him letting down his family for on September 9, 1916, it was confirmed that his act of self-sacrifice had won him the Victoria Cross – the first awarded to the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Battle of the Somme.
The citation read: "He well knew his danger, being himself a bomber; but without a moment's hesitation he gave his life for his comrades."
The announcement prompted a fresh batch of letters to the McFadzean home.
Lieutenant-Colonel Spencer Chichester, the former YCV and UVF commander who had taken the 14th Rifles to France but who was then on sick leave, expressed his admiration.
"You must indeed be proud of such a son, and the thought of what he did must be a great consolation to you in your grief.
"I want to let you know that I am very proud of the fact that he served under me, and that he has added to the honour which his battalion has already won. It is not only his battalion which has every right to be proud of him, but the whole of the Ulster Division. No man could have died a nobler death."
The current battalion commander, Colonel F O Bowen, said his "only regret is that he was not spared to wear his well-earned decoration".
"It was one of the very finest deeds of a war that is so full of big things, and I can assure you that the whole battalion rejoiced when they heard of it. Your gallant boy is gone from us, but his deeds will for ever live in our memories, and the record will go down for all time in the regimental history, which he has added fresh and great lustre to."
On February 28, 1917, Private McFadzean's father, also William, travelled to Buckingham Palace – he had been sent a third-class rail ticket for the purpose – where the King himself paid a glowing tribute.
Handing over his son's medal, the King said: "Nothing finer has been done in this war for which I have given a Victoria Cross than the act committed by your son to save many lives in giving his own so heroically."
William McFadzean's medal is today held by the Rifles Museum in Waring Street, Belfast, while his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France as his grave in Thiepval Wood was lost in later fighting.
At home his memory is kept alive on memorials at Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church, Church House in Belfast, First Lurgan Presbyterian Church, Collegians RFC, Castlereagh Borough Council, Lurgan Town Hall and war memorial.
Marine puts his life on the line in Afghanistan
Heroic Royal Marine Matthew Croucher could be in line for a Victoria Cross after throwing himself on an exploding grenade in southern Afghanistan in a bid to shield his comrades.
The 24-year-old lance corporal let his rucksack take the force of the blast – and his three pals escaped with just cuts and bruises.
L/Cpl Croucher, whose brave actions left him with nothing more serious than a nose bleed, could be the first Royal Marine since 1945 to win the award.
His citation has been passed to the commanding officer of 40 Commando and will go to a committee which decides on the award of VCs.
L/Cpl Croucher, from Birmingham, was taking part in a mission to uncover a suspected Taliban bomb-making factory in Helmand Province, in February.
His foot brushed a tripwire and he saw a pineapple-type grenade with the pin coming out.
He shouted: "Grenade, take cover," as two of his comrades were only metres behind him.
The rucksack, containing a medical pack, shoulder-launched rocket and medical equipment took the full force of the blast.
L/Cpl Croucher said: "I thought, I've set the bloody thing off and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the others.
"I'm very tight with the three other guys. There have been a few times when they've saved my bacon.
"I knew a grenade like this had a killing circumference of about five metres. So I got down with my back to the grenade and used my body as a shield.
"It was a case of either having four of us as fatalities or badly wounded, or one."
He told the newspaper he had a nose bleed and it was 30 seconds before he realised he was alive.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was too early to say whether he would be put forward for the award.
www.newsletter.co.uk/n...3939788.jp
By Steven Moore
14th Royal Irish Rifles, William McFadzean is in back row second from the left
14th Royal Irish Rifles, William McFadzean is in back row second from the left
The courage of Lance Corporal Matthew Croucher, who shielded his comrades by lying across an Afghan grenade, may earn him the Victoria Cross. STEVEN MOORE reports on how this act of bravery has revived memories of Ulster soldier William McFadzean who, at the Battle of the Somme, gave his life to save his mates
On July 13, 1916, the News Letter proudly told its readers that "the finest individual deed yet recorded in connection with the great offensive movement which began on the 1st July is to the credit of a gallant Belfastman".
The report quoted from a letter of sympathy sent to the father of Private William McFadzean by James McKee, an officer of his battalion: "You will have great satisfaction in knowing that he died a hero's death.
"Our men were in the assembly trenches, and bombs were being distributed. Your son had a box passed to him, and in the passing some bombs dropped out. In falling, the safety pins fell out; and your son, realising the danger to his comrades, flung himself on top of the bombs.
"He was killed, and two others were slightly wounded. He saved the lives of a number of his comrades by his action, and we are proud of him."
In fact, Private William Frederick McFadzean had been born in Lurgan on October 9, 1895, but had moved to Belfast as a child, living in the Cregagh area in a house known as Rubicon.
He attended Mountpottinger Boys' School and later the Trade Preparatory School at the Municipal Technical Institute, where his class reports indicate he was far from a model student. Nonetheless, he was taken on as an apprentice by the linen company of Spence, Bryson and Co on Great Victoria Street.
At 6ft tall and weighing 13 stones, he proved himself a useful player for Collegians' rugby club and an enthusiastic member of the 1st Ballynafeigh and Newtownbreda contingent of the East Belfast Regiment of the UVF.
Like most members of "Carson's Army," he initially held back from enlisting while talks on the political future of the Province were concluded.
On September 22, 1914, he signed up, aged 20, with the 14th Royal Irish Rifles. Many of its members came from the initially non-political youth group the Young Citizen Volunteers, which William had joined through the Central Presbyterian Association.
Because of his height, McFadzean was made a "bomber" and clearly took to the military life. He wrote to his parents: "You people at home make me quite proud when you tell me I am the soldier boy of the McFadzeans. I hope to play the game and if I don't add much lustre to it, I certainly will not tarnish it."
There was no danger of him letting down his family for on September 9, 1916, it was confirmed that his act of self-sacrifice had won him the Victoria Cross – the first awarded to the 36th (Ulster) Division at the Battle of the Somme.
The citation read: "He well knew his danger, being himself a bomber; but without a moment's hesitation he gave his life for his comrades."
The announcement prompted a fresh batch of letters to the McFadzean home.
Lieutenant-Colonel Spencer Chichester, the former YCV and UVF commander who had taken the 14th Rifles to France but who was then on sick leave, expressed his admiration.
"You must indeed be proud of such a son, and the thought of what he did must be a great consolation to you in your grief.
"I want to let you know that I am very proud of the fact that he served under me, and that he has added to the honour which his battalion has already won. It is not only his battalion which has every right to be proud of him, but the whole of the Ulster Division. No man could have died a nobler death."
The current battalion commander, Colonel F O Bowen, said his "only regret is that he was not spared to wear his well-earned decoration".
"It was one of the very finest deeds of a war that is so full of big things, and I can assure you that the whole battalion rejoiced when they heard of it. Your gallant boy is gone from us, but his deeds will for ever live in our memories, and the record will go down for all time in the regimental history, which he has added fresh and great lustre to."
On February 28, 1917, Private McFadzean's father, also William, travelled to Buckingham Palace – he had been sent a third-class rail ticket for the purpose – where the King himself paid a glowing tribute.
Handing over his son's medal, the King said: "Nothing finer has been done in this war for which I have given a Victoria Cross than the act committed by your son to save many lives in giving his own so heroically."
William McFadzean's medal is today held by the Rifles Museum in Waring Street, Belfast, while his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France as his grave in Thiepval Wood was lost in later fighting.
At home his memory is kept alive on memorials at Newtownbreda Presbyterian Church, Church House in Belfast, First Lurgan Presbyterian Church, Collegians RFC, Castlereagh Borough Council, Lurgan Town Hall and war memorial.
Marine puts his life on the line in Afghanistan
Heroic Royal Marine Matthew Croucher could be in line for a Victoria Cross after throwing himself on an exploding grenade in southern Afghanistan in a bid to shield his comrades.
The 24-year-old lance corporal let his rucksack take the force of the blast – and his three pals escaped with just cuts and bruises.
L/Cpl Croucher, whose brave actions left him with nothing more serious than a nose bleed, could be the first Royal Marine since 1945 to win the award.
His citation has been passed to the commanding officer of 40 Commando and will go to a committee which decides on the award of VCs.
L/Cpl Croucher, from Birmingham, was taking part in a mission to uncover a suspected Taliban bomb-making factory in Helmand Province, in February.
His foot brushed a tripwire and he saw a pineapple-type grenade with the pin coming out.
He shouted: "Grenade, take cover," as two of his comrades were only metres behind him.
The rucksack, containing a medical pack, shoulder-launched rocket and medical equipment took the full force of the blast.
L/Cpl Croucher said: "I thought, I've set the bloody thing off and I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect the others.
"I'm very tight with the three other guys. There have been a few times when they've saved my bacon.
"I knew a grenade like this had a killing circumference of about five metres. So I got down with my back to the grenade and used my body as a shield.
"It was a case of either having four of us as fatalities or badly wounded, or one."
He told the newspaper he had a nose bleed and it was 30 seconds before he realised he was alive.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said it was too early to say whether he would be put forward for the award.
