James Ockenden
Sergeant, 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers
- Register No.
- 938 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers all Royal Dublin Fusiliers VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 October 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 8th September 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 11th Decenber 1890 at Portsmouth, Hampshire
- Died
- 29th August 1966 at Portsmouth
- Memorial / grave
- Not known
Digest of citation
On 4 October 1917 east of Langemarck, Belgium, Sergeant Ockenden was acting as Company Sergeant-Major, and seeing the platoon on the right held up by an enemy machine-gun, he immediately rushed the gun, regardless of his own safety and captured it, killing the crew. He then led the section to the attack on a farm, where under very heavy fire he rushed forward and called on the garrison to surrender. As the enemy continued to fire on him, he opened fire killing four, whereupon the remaining 16 surrendered
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
OCKENDEN James (Reg No. 938)
Sergeant 1st Battalion The Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
London Gazetted on 8th September 1917.
Born on: 11th Decenber 1890 at Portsmouth, Hampshire.
Died on: 29th August 1966 at Portsmouth.
Memorial: Not known Digest of Citation reads: On 4 October 1917 east of Langemarck, Belgium, Sergeant Ockenden was acting as Company Sergeant-Major, and seeing the platoon on the right held up by an enemy machine-gun, he immediately rushed the gun, regardless of his own safety and captured it, killing the crew. He then led the section to the attack on a farm, where under very heavy fire he rushed forward and called on the garrison to surrender. As the enemy continued to fire on him, he opened fire killing four, whereupon the remaining 16 surrendered.
Additional information: He was also awarded the Military Medal. More to add.
From Alf's photographs
Ockendon's Son - Wearing fathers VC (gallery)
Additional information
He was also awarded the Military Medal More to add.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Not known
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