Samuel Meekosha
Corporal, 1st/6th Battalion. West Yorkshire Regiment
- Register No.
- 853 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 1st/6th Battalion. West Yorkshire Regiment (register: Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)) all Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) VCs →
- Date of action
- 19 November 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 22nd January 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 16th September, 1893 at Leeds, Yorkshire
- Died
- 8th December 1950 at Blackwood, Monmouthshire
- Memorial / grave
- not known
Digest of citation
Corporal Meekosha, a member of a platoon of 20 NCOs and men, who were holding a trench that had been isolated, near the Yser, in France on 19th November 1915. Six of the platoon were killed and seven wounded during a heavy bombardment by the Germans, while all the remainder of the platoon were more or less buried. When the remaining senior NCOs were either killed or wounded, Corporal Meekosha took command and immediately sent for assistance by a runner. A minimum of 10 more shells landed within 20 yards of him, but in spite of this, he continued to try and rescue the wounded and buried men by digging them out in full view of the enemy and within close proximity to the German trenches. * This bravery resulted in the saving of at least four lives, thanks to Corporal Meekosha's great courage and his sheer determination
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
MEEKOSHA, Samuel. (reg No. 853).
Corporal. 1st/6th Battalion. West Yorkshire Regiment. * London Gazetted on 22nd January 1916.
Born on 16th September, 1893 at Leeds, Yorkshire.
Died on 8th December 1950 at Blackwood, Monmouthshire.
Memorial not known.
Digest of Citation reads: Corporal Meekosha, a member of a platoon of 20 NCOs and men, who were holding a trench that had been isolated, near the Yser, in France on 19th November 1915. Six of the platoon were killed and seven wounded during a heavy bombardment by the Germans, while all the remainder of the platoon were more or less buried. When the remaining senior NCOs were either killed or wounded, Corporal Meekosha took command and immediately sent for assistance by a runner. A minimum of 10 more shells landed within 20 yards of him, but in spite of this, he continued to try and rescue the wounded and buried men by digging them out in full view of the enemy and within close proximity to the German trenches. * This bravery resulted in the saving of at least four lives, thanks to Corporal Meekosha's great courage and his sheer determination .
* Prince of Wales Own.
Additional information:. Captain Meekosha later changed his name to Ingham. *For helping him rescue the men, Privates Johnson, Sayers and Wilkinson, of the1st/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM).
Additional information
Captain Meekosha later changed his name to Ingham. *For helping him rescue the men, Privates Johnson, Sayers and Wilkinson, of the1st/6th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment, were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM).
* Prince of Wales Own.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known
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