Samuel Frickleton
Lance-Corporal, 3rd Battalion 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade
- Register No.
- 430 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lance-Corporal (register: Lance Corporal) all Lance-Corporals →
- Unit
- 3rd Battalion 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade (register: New Zealand Rifle Brigade) all New Zealand Rifle Brigade VCs →
- Date of action
- 7 June 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 2nd August 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 1st April, 1891 at Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland
- Died
- 1st September, 1971 at Wellington, New Zealand
- Memorial / grave
- Taita Servicemen's Cemetery, Naenae, New Zealand and at the headquarters of Dunedin RSA, New Zealand
Digest of citation
On 7th June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, Lance-Corporal Frickleton, although slightly wounded, dashed forward at the head of his section, pushed into our barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machine gun and crew which was causing heavy casualties. He then attacked a second gun killing all the crew of 12. By the destruction of these two guns he undoubtedly saved his own and other units from very severe casualties. During the consolidation of this position he received a second severe wound
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
FRICKLETON, Samuel. (reg No. 430).
Lance-Corporal. 3rd Battalion 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade. N Z E F.
London Gazetted on 2nd August 1917.
Born on 1st April, 1891 at Slamannan, Stirlingshire, Scotland.
Died on 1st September, 1971 at Wellington, New Zealand.
Memorials at Taita Servicemen's Cemetery, Naenae, New Zealand and at the headquarters of Dunedin RSA, New Zealand.
Digest of Citation reads: On 7th June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, Lance-Corporal Frickleton, although slightly wounded, dashed forward at the head of his section, pushed into our barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machine gun and crew which was causing heavy casualties. He then attacked a second gun killing all the crew of 12. By the destruction of these two guns he undoubtedly saved his own and other units from very severe casualties. During the consolidation of this position he received a second severe wound.
N Z E F.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Taita Servicemen's Cemetery, Naenae, New Zealand and at the headquarters of Dunedin RSA, New Zealand
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.
Research this recipient further
Would you like to honour Samuel Frickleton by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.