Samuel Needham
Private, 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment
- Register No.
- 917 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment all Bedfordshire Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 10–11 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 30th of October 1918 all of 1918 →
- Born
- 16th August, 1885 at Greta Limber, Lincolnshire
- Died
- 4th November, 1918 at Kantara, Egypt
- Memorial / grave
- on Kantara War Memorial, Egypt
- Medal held by
- the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental
Digest of citation
On 10th/11th September, 1918 at Kefr Kasim, Palestine, one of our patrols was attacked by the enemy in considerable force, supported by very heavy fire. At a critical moment Private Needham ran back, turned to face a fresh body of the enemy which was approaching and fired rapidly at about 40 Turks at only 30 yards range. This action checked the enemy and just gave the patrol commander time to get his men together again. Half of the patrol were casualties but they managed to get back all their wounded. Private Needham's action in standing up to the enemy all alone did much to inspire the men and undoubtedly saved the situation
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
NEEDHAM, Samuel. (reg No. 917).
Private. 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
London Gazetted on 30th of October 1918. V.C. Medal's Custodian is the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regimental Museum (Luton).
Born on 16th August, 1885 at Greta Limber, Lincolnshire.
Died on 4th November, 1918 at Kantara, Egypt.
Memorial on Kantara War Memorial, Egypt.
Digest of Citation reads: On 10th/11th September, 1918 at Kefr Kasim, Palestine, one of our patrols was attacked by the enemy in considerable force, supported by very heavy fire. At a critical moment Private Needham ran back, turned to face a fresh body of the enemy which was approaching and fired rapidly at about 40 Turks at only 30 yards range. This action checked the enemy and just gave the patrol commander time to get his men together again. Half of the patrol were casualties but they managed to get back all their wounded. Private Needham's action in standing up to the enemy all alone did much to inspire the men and undoubtedly saved the situation.
Museum (Luton).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on Kantara War Memorial, Egypt
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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