Ross Tollerton
Private, 1st Battalion. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
- Register No.
- 1217 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders all Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders VCs →
- Date of action
- 14 September 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 19th April 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Born
- 6th May 1898 at Hurlford, Ayr, Scotland
- Died
- 7th May 1931 at Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
- Memorial / grave
- at Knadgerhill Cemetery, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
- Medal held by
- the Highlanders Regimental Museum, Ardesier,
Digest of citation
Private Tollerton, on 14th September 1914, at the Battle of Aisne, France, carried a wounded officer, Captain Matheson, who had fallen as they came under heavy shell and machine-gun fire. Although he himself had been wounded in the head and hand, he raised the wounded officer on to his back and carried him into a small cornfield, where he left him and struggled back and rejoined the line. Private Tollerton stayed in the line until his battalion retired, at which time, he returned to the wounded officer. He lay beside Captain Matheson for three days, until they were both rescued
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
TOLLERTON, Ross. (reg No. 1217).
Private. 1st Battalion. Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders.
London Gazetted on 19th April 1915.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Highlanders Regimental Museum, Ardesier, Inverness-shire.
Born on 6th May 1898 at Hurlford, Ayr, Scotland.
Died on 7th May 1931 at Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Memorial on grave at Knadgerhill Cemetery, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland.
Digest of Citation reads: Private Tollerton, on 14th September 1914, at the Battle of Aisne, France, carried a wounded officer, Captain Matheson, who had fallen as they came under heavy shell and machine-gun fire. Although he himself had been wounded in the head and hand, he raised the wounded officer on to his back and carried him into a small cornfield, where he left him and struggled back and rejoined the line. Private Tollerton stayed in the line until his battalion retired, at which time, he returned to the wounded officer. He lay beside Captain Matheson for three days, until they were both rescued.
Inverness-shire.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Knadgerhill Cemetery, Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland
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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