William Gregg

Sergeant, 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

Register No.: 491 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank: Sergeant all Sergeants →
Unit: 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) (register: Prince Consort's Own (Rifle Brigade)) all Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own) VCs →
Date of action: 6 May 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Conflict / campaign: First World War
London Gazette: 28th June, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Born: 27th January, 1890 at Heanor, Derbyshire
Died: 10th August, 1969 at Heanor, Derbyshire
Memorial / grave: on the Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral and at the Swimming Baths, Heanor, Derbyshire

Digest of citation

On 6th May, 1918 at Bucquoy, France, when all the officers of Sergeant Gregg's company had been hit during an attack on an enemy outpost, he took command, rushing two enemy posts, killing some of the gun teams, taking prisoners and capturing a machine gun.. He then started to consolidate his position until driven back by a counter-attack, but as reinforcements had by now come up, he led a charge, personally bombed a hostile machine-gun, killed the crew and captured the gun. When driven back again, he led another successful attack and held on to his position until ordered to withdraw

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

GREGG, William. (reg No. 491).

Sergeant. 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own).

London Gazetted on 28th June, 1918.

Born on 27th January, 1890 at Heanor, Derbyshire.

Died on 10th August, 1969 at Heanor, Derbyshire.

Memorial on the Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral and at the Swimming Baths, Heanor, Derbyshire.

Digest of Citation reads: On 6th May, 1918 at Bucquoy, France, when all the officers of Sergeant Gregg's company had been hit during an attack on an enemy outpost, he took command, rushing two enemy posts, killing some of the gun teams, taking prisoners and capturing a machine gun.. He then started to consolidate his position until driven back by a counter-attack, but as reinforcements had by now come up, he led a charge, personally bombed a hostile machine-gun, killed the crew and captured the gun. When driven back again, he led another successful attack and held on to his position until ordered to withdraw.

Additional information:. Company Sergeant-Major Gregg was also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and the Military Medal (MM). He was the son of Mr and Mrs William Gregg of 97, Yorke Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire. He attended Mundy Street School, Heanor after which he became a Miner at Shipley Colliery. On 25th June 1910 he married Sarah Hardy, daughter of Mr and Mrs William Hardy at Heanor Church, Derbyshire. He enlisted on the 24th November 1914 as a private in the Rifle Brigade. While serving in the European War (WW 1) he was wounded on the Somme. On 4th February 1917 he went on a dangerous daylight patrol and obtained useful intelligence. For this he was awarded the Military Medal. On 30th November 1917 when the the enemy attacked in force, Sergeant Gregg seeing the Battalion on the left under heavy pressure, carried several messages across a road swept by a devastating machine-gun fire and was cut off from his company. He led a counter-attack, killing many and driving off the enemy. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Additional information

Company Sergeant-Major Gregg was also awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and the Military Medal (MM). He was the son of Mr and Mrs William Gregg of 97, Yorke Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, Derbyshire. He attended Mundy Street School, Heanor after which he became a Miner at Shipley Colliery. On 25th June 1910 he married Sarah Hardy, daughter of Mr and Mrs William Hardy at Heanor Church, Derbyshire. He enlisted on the 24th November 1914 as a private in the Rifle Brigade. While serving in the European War (WW 1) he was wounded on the Somme. On 4th February 1917 he went on a dangerous daylight patrol and obtained useful intelligence. For this he was awarded the Military Medal. On 30th November 1917 when the the enemy attacked in force, Sergeant Gregg seeing the Battalion on the left under heavy pressure, carried several messages across a road swept by a devastating machine-gun fire and was cut off from his company. He led a counter-attack, killing many and driving off the enemy. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Visit the grave or memorial

Alf recorded the memorial as: on the Rifle Brigade Memorial at Winchester Cathedral and at the Swimming Baths, Heanor, Derbyshire

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