Frederick William Lumsden
Major, Royal Marine Artillery
- Register No.
- 757 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Major (register: Lieutenant) all Majors →
- Unit
- Royal Marine Artillery all Royal Marine Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 3–4 April 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th June 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 14th December, 1872 at Fyzabad, India
- Died
- 4th June 1918 at Blairville, near Arras, France
- Memorial / grave
- at Berles Military Cemetery, France. Monument at Eastney Barracks (Royal Marine Museum). Digest of Citation reads:
- Medal held by
- the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks,
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
LUMSDEN, Frederick William. (reg No. 757).
Major. Royal Marine Artillery.
London Gazetted on 8th June 1917.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Royal Marine museum, Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hants.
Born on 14th December, 1872 at Fyzabad, India.
Died on 4th June 1918 at Blairville, near Arras, France.
Memorial on grave at Berles Military Cemetery, France. Monument at Eastney Barracks (Royal Marine Museum). Digest of Citation reads:. On the 3rd/4th April 1917, at Francilly, France, 6 enemy field guns having been captured, but it was necessary to leave them at the dug-in positions. They were 300 yards in advance of the positions held by our own troops. The captured guns were kept under very heavy fire by the enemy. Major Lumsden undertook the duty of bringing the guns back to our lines. He led four artillery teams and a party of Infantry through the hostile barrage to carry out the work. One of the teams suffered casualties, so he left the other three teams in a covered position, then led the infantry through heavy rifle and machine gun fire to the guns. With an inspired energy and example he succeeded in sending back two of the teams with guns, personally going through the barrage with the teams to the moving of the third gun. Returning to the guns, he awaited further teams,and with these,succeeded in attaching two out of the three guns that remained , all of the time under heavy rifle fire. They then removed the guns to a safe position. The enemy attacked in considerable strength, and blew up the breach of the remaining gone. Major Lumsden then returned to drive off the enemy, getting the team to tow away the last gun.
Additional information:. Brigadier General Lumsden was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB); held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and three Bars There is a monument to Major Lumsden in front of the Royal Marine Museum at Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hampshire. More to be added.
From Alf's photographs
Lumsden VC - Eastney Barracks (RM Museum) (gallery) 
Lumsden VC - Plaque (gallery) 
Major F.W.Lumsden Portrait in Royal Marine Museum. (gallery)
Alf's notes on his life
On the 3rd/4th April 1917, at Francilly, France, 6 enemy field guns having been captured, but it was necessary to leave them at the dug-in positions. They were 300 yards in advance of the positions held by our own troops. The captured guns were kept under very heavy fire by the enemy. Major Lumsden undertook the duty of bringing the guns back to our lines. He led four artillery teams and a party of Infantry through the hostile barrage to carry out the work. One of the teams suffered casualties, so he left the other three teams in a covered position, then led the infantry through heavy rifle and machine gun fire to the guns. With an inspired energy and example he succeeded in sending back two of the teams with guns, personally going through the barrage with the teams to the moving of the third gun. Returning to the guns, he awaited further teams,and with these,succeeded in attaching two out of the three guns that remained , all of the time under heavy rifle fire. They then removed the guns to a safe position. The enemy attacked in considerable strength, and blew up the breach of the remaining gone. Major Lumsden then returned to drive off the enemy, getting the team to tow away the last gun.
Additional information
Brigadier General Lumsden was a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB); held the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) and three Bars There is a monument to Major Lumsden in front of the Royal Marine Museum at Eastney Barracks, Southsea, Hampshire. More to be added.
Southsea, Hants.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Berles Military Cemetery, France. Monument at Eastney Barracks (Royal Marine Museum). Digest of Citation reads:
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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