Richard George Masters

Private, Royal Army Service Corps

Register No.: 842 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank: Private all Privates →
Unit: Royal Army Service Corps all Royal Army Service Corps VCs →
Date of action: 9 April 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Conflict / campaign: First World War
London Gazette: 8th May 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Born: 30th March 1877 at Southport, Lancashire
Died: 4th April 1963 at Southport, Lancashire
Memorial / grave: not known

Digest of citation

The communications had been cut and the wounded could not be evacuated because of an enemy attack. Reports had come that the road was impassable, in spite of this, Private Master's, who was attached to the *141st Field Ambulance, volunteered to try and get through. With the greatest of difficulties he managed to succeed by clearing the road of all kind of debris. Throughout the whole of the afternoon he continued to make journey after journey over the road, which was subjected persistently to shell and machine-gun fire. On one occasion, he was bombed my aeroplane. Private Masters was able to help evacuate the majority of the wounded from the area. His car was the only one that managed to get through during this particular phase

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

MASTERS, Richard George. (reg No. 842).

Private. Royal Army Service Corps. * London Gazetted on 8th May 1918.

Born on 30th March 1877 at Southport, Lancashire.

Died on 4th April 1963 at Southport, Lancashire..

Memorial not known.

Digest of Citation reads: The communications had been cut and the wounded could not be evacuated because of an enemy attack. Reports had come that the road was impassable, in spite of this, Private Master's, who was attached to the *141st Field Ambulance, volunteered to try and get through. With the greatest of difficulties he managed to succeed by clearing the road of all kind of debris. Throughout the whole of the afternoon he continued to make journey after journey over the road, which was subjected persistently to shell and machine-gun fire. On one occasion, he was bombed my aeroplane. Private Masters was able to help evacuate the majority of the wounded from the area. His car was the only one that managed to get through during this particular phase.

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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known

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