Manley Angell James
Captain, 8th Service Battalion. Gloucestershire Regiment
- Register No.
- 630 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain (register: Temp. Captain) all Captains →
- Unit
- 8th Service Battalion. Gloucestershire Regiment all Gloucestershire Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 21–23 March 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 28th June, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 12th July, 1896 at Odiham, Hampshire
- Died
- 23rd September, 1975 at Bristol
- Memorial / grave
- not known
Digest of citation
On 21st March, 1918 near Velu Wood, France, Captain James led his company, capturing 27 prisoners and two machine-guns. Although wounded, he refused to leave his company and repulsed three enemy assaults next day. Two days later the enemy having broken through, he made a determined stand, inflicting heavy losses and gaining valuable time for the withdrawal of the guns. After holding out to the last to enable the Brigade to be extricated, he led his company forward in a local counter-attack, being again wounded. He was last seen working a machine-gun single-handed, was wounded a third time and eventually taken prisoner
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
JAMES, Manley Angell. (reg No. 630).
Captain. 8th Service Battalion. Gloucestershire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 28th June, 1918.
Born on 12th July, 1896 at Odiham, Hampshire.
Died on 23rd September, 1975 at Bristol.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: On 21st March, 1918 near Velu Wood, France, Captain James led his company, capturing 27 prisoners and two machine-guns. Although wounded, he refused to leave his company and repulsed three enemy assaults next day. Two days later the enemy having broken through, he made a determined stand, inflicting heavy losses and gaining valuable time for the withdrawal of the guns. After holding out to the last to enable the Brigade to be extricated, he led his company forward in a local counter-attack, being again wounded. He was last seen working a machine-gun single-handed, was wounded a third time and eventually taken prisoner.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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