The South Lancashire Regiment Victoria Crosses

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	The South Lancashire Regiment (Prince of Wales's Volunteers)
	Victoria Crosses



	Regiment/ Battalion	Date/ Location	Name	Citation/Notes
Maori Wars
1	40th Regiment	18th March 1861 Near Huirangi, Taranaki New Zealand	Colour-Serjeant John Lucas	LG 19th July 1861: Colour-Serjeant John Lucas On the 18th of March, 1861, Colour-Serjeant Lucas acted as Serjeant of a party of the 40th Regiment, employed as skirmishers to the right of No. 7, Redoubt, and close to the Huirangi Bush, facing the left of the positions occupied by the natives. At about 4 o'clock P.M., a very heavy and well-directed fire was suddenly opened upon them from the Bush, and the high ground on the left. Three men being wounded simultaneously, two of them mortally, assistance was called for in order to have them carried to the rear: a file was immediately sent, but had scarcely arrived, when one of them fell, and Lieutenant Rees was wounded at the same time. Colour-Serjeant Lucas, under a very heavy fire from the rebels, who were not more than thirty yards distant, immediately ran up to the assistance of this Officer, and sent one man with him to the rear. He then took charge of the arms belonging to the killed and wounded men, and maintained his position until the arrival of supports under Lieutenants Gibson and Whelan.

First World War
2	2nd Battalion	14 June 1917 Messines, Belgium.	Private William Ratcliffe	LG 2nd August 1917 No. 2251 Pte. William Ratcliffe, S. Lanc. R. For most conspicuous bravery. After an enemy's trench had been captured, Pte. Ratcliffe located an enemy machine gun which was firing on his comrades from the rear, whereupon, single handed and on his own initiative, he immediately, rushed the machine gun position and bayonetted the crew. He then brought the gun back into action in the front line. This very gallant soldier has displayed great resource on previous occasions, and has set an exceptionally fine example of devotion to duty.

3	1/4th Battalion	8th August 1916 Near Arrow Head Copse, France	2nd Lieutenant Gabriel George Coury	LG 26th October 1916 2nd Lieutenant Gabriel George Coury, South Lancashire Regiment. For most conspicuous bravery. During an advance he was in command of two platoons ordered to dig a communication trench from the old firing line to the position won. By his fine example and utter contempt of danger he kept up the spirits of his men and completed his task under intense fire. Later, after his battalion had suffered severe casualties and the Commanding Officer had been wounded, he went out in front of the advanced position in broad daylight and in full view of the enemy, found his Commanding Officer, and brought him back to the new advanced trench over ground swept by machine gun fire. He not only carried out his original task and saved his Commanding Officer, but also assisted in rallying the attacking troops when they were shaken and in leading them forward. (Coury was 3rd Battalion attached to 1/4th Battalion)

4	6th Battalion	25th February 1917 Alqayat-al-Gaharbigah Bend, Mesopotamia	Private John Readitt	LG 3rd July 1917 No. 18233 Pte. John Readitt, South Lancashire Regiment. For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when working down a broad, deep water-course. Five times he went forward in the face of very heavy machine-gun fire at very close range, being the sole survivor on each occasion. These advances drove back the enemy machine guns, and about 300 yards of water-course was made good in an hour. After his officer had been killed Private Readitt, on his own initiative, organised and made several more advances. On reaching the enemy barricade, he was forced by a counter-attack to retire, giving ground slowly and continuing to throw bombs. On supports reaching him, he held a forward bend by bombing until the position was consolidated. The action of this gallant soldier saved the left flank and enabled his Battalion to maintain its position.

5	11th Battalion	24 March 1918 near Eppeville, France	Corporal John Thomas Davies	LG 21st May 1918 No. 20765 Cpl. John Thomas Davies, S. Lanc. R. (St. Helens). For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty under heavy rifle and machine gun fire. When his company—outflanked on both sides—received orders to withdraw, Corporal Davies knew that the only line of withdrawal lay through a deep stream lined with a belt of barbed wire, and that it was imperative to hold up the enemy as long as possible. He mounted the parapet, fully exposing himself, in order to get a more effective field of fire, and kept his Lewis gun in action to the last, causing the enemy many casualties and checking their advance. By his very great devotion to duty he enabled part of his company to get across the river, which they would otherwise have been unable to do, thus undoubtedly saving the lives of many of his comrades. When last seen this gallant N.C.O. was still firing his gun, with the enemy close on the top of him, and was in all probability killed at his gun.