Robert James Bye
Sergeant, 1st Battalion. Welsh Guards
- Register No.
- 161 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion. Welsh Guards all Welsh Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 31 July 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 6th September, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 12th December, 1889 at Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales
- Died
- 23rd August 1962 at Warsop, Nottinghamshire
- Memorial / grave
- Warsop Cemetery, and in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London
- Medal held by
- the Guards Regimental HQ
Digest of citation
On 31st July, 1917 at theYser Canal, Belgium, during an attack, Sergeant Bye saw that the leading waves were being troubled by two enemy block houses. He rushed it one of them and put the garrison out of action. He then rejoined his company and went forward to the second objective. Later he volunteered to take charge of a party detailed to clear up a line of block houses which had been passed. He accomplished this, taking many prisoners, and then advanced to the third objective, again taking a number of prisoners. During the action he accounted for over 70 of the enemy
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
BYE, Robert James. (reg No. 161)
Sergeant 1st Battalion. Welsh Guards.
London Gazetted on 6th September, 1917.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Guards Regimental HQ.
Born on 12th December, 1889 at Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales.
Died on 23rd August 1962 at Warsop, Nottinghamshire.
Memorials at Warsop Cemetery, and in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London.
Digest of Citation reads: On 31st July, 1917 at theYser Canal, Belgium, during an attack, Sergeant Bye saw that the leading waves were being troubled by two enemy block houses. He rushed it one of them and put the garrison out of action. He then rejoined his company and went forward to the second objective. Later he volunteered to take charge of a party detailed to clear up a line of block houses which had been passed. He accomplished this, taking many prisoners, and then advanced to the third objective, again taking a number of prisoners. During the action he accounted for over 70 of the enemy.
Additional information: Sergeant Bye served in the Second World War with the Sherwood Foresters.
Additional information
Sergeant Bye served in the Second World War with the Sherwood Foresters.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Warsop Cemetery, and in the Guards Chapel, Wellington Barracks, London
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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