James Mcphie
Corporal, 416th (Edinburgh) Field Company. Royal Engineers
- Register No.
- 816 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 416th (Edinburgh) Field Company. Royal Engineers (register: Corps of Royal Engineers) all Corps of Royal Engineers VCs →
- Date of action
- 14 October 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 31st January 1919 on this day → all of 1919 →
- Born
- 18th December 1894 at Edinburgh, Scotland
- Died
- in action on 14th October 1918 at Aubencheul - au-Bac,
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Naves Communal Cemetery, France (extension)
Digest of citation
Corporal McPhie, along with a party of Sappers were ,at dawn on 14th October 1918 at the Canal de la Sensee, France, repairing a cork-float bridge, which had begun to sink and a breakaway as soon as the Infantry began to cross it. The corporal jumped into the water and tried desperately to hold the cork and timber together. Finding it impossible, he swam back to get materials to repair it. Although it was then daylight and the bridge was harangued by a close fire, Corporal McPhie led his men to the bridge. He was shot, killing him almost immediately
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
McPHIE, James. (reg No. 816).
Corporal. 416th (Edinburgh) Field Company. Royal Engineers.
London Gazetted on 31st January 1919.
Born on 18th December 1894 at Edinburgh, Scotland.
Killed in action on 14th October 1918 at Aubencheul - au-Bac, France.
Memorial on grave at Naves Communal Cemetery, France (extension).
Digest of Citation reads: Corporal McPhie, along with a party of Sappers were ,at dawn on 14th October 1918 at the Canal de la Sensee, France, repairing a cork-float bridge, which had begun to sink and a breakaway as soon as the Infantry began to cross it. The corporal jumped into the water and tried desperately to hold the cork and timber together. Finding it impossible, he swam back to get materials to repair it. Although it was then daylight and the bridge was harangued by a close fire, Corporal McPhie led his men to the bridge. He was shot, killing him almost immediately.
France.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Naves Communal Cemetery, France (extension)
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