John Thomas Davies
Corporal, 11th (Service) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment
- Register No.
- 308 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 11th (Service) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment (register: Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment)) all Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) VCs →
- Date of action
- 24 March 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 22nd May, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 29th September, 1896 at Rockferry, Cheshire
- Died
- 28th October, 1955 at St Helens, Lancashire
- Memorial / grave
- not known
Digest of citation
On 24th March, 1918 near Eppeville, France, when his company was ordered 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 in full view of the enemy in order to get a more effective field of fire and kept his Lewis gun in action to the last, causing many enemy casualties and enabling part of his company to get across the river, which they would otherwise have been unable to do
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
DAVIES, John Thomas.(reg No. 308).
Corporal. 11th (Service) Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment. (Prince of Wales Volunteers).
London Gazetted on 22nd May, 1918.
Born on 29th September, 1896 at Rockferry, Cheshire.
Died on 28th October, 1955 at St Helens, Lancashire.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 24th March, 1918 near Eppeville, France, when his company was ordered 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 in full view of the enemy in order to get a more effective field of fire and kept his Lewis gun in action to the last, causing many enemy casualties and enabling part of his company to get across the river, which they would otherwise have been unable to do.
(Prince of Wales Volunteers).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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