William Henry Metcalf

Lance-Corporal, 16th Battalion Manitoba Regiment. CEF. (Canadian Scottish)

Register No.: 862 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank: Lance-Corporal (register: Lance Corporal) all Lance-Corporals →
Unit: 16th Battalion Manitoba Regiment. CEF. (Canadian Scottish) (register: 16th Battalion, CEF) all CEF VCs →
Date of action: 2 September 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Conflict / campaign: First World War
London Gazette: 15th November 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
Born: 29th January 1885 at Waige, Walsh County, Maine, USA
Died: 8th August 1968 at Lewiston, Maine, USA
Memorial / grave: Buried at Bayside Cemetery, Eastport, Maine. USA

Digest of citation

On 2 September 1918 at Arras, France, when the right flank of the battalion was held up, Lance-Corporal Metcalf rushed forward under intense machine-gun fire to a passing tank and with his signal flag walked in front of the tank directing it along the trench in a perfect hail of bullets and bombs. The machine-gun strong-point was overcome, very heavy casualties were inflicted and a critical situation was relieved. Later, although wounded, Corporal Metcalf continued to advance until ordered to get into a shell hole and have his wounds dressed

From Alf Askin's research notes

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

METCALF, William Henry, (Reg. No. 862)

Lance-Corporal 16th Battalion Manitoba Regiment. CEF. (Canadian Scottish).

London Gazetted on 15th November 1918 Born on: 29th January 1885 at Waige, Walsh County, Maine, USA.

Died on: 8th August 1968 at Lewiston, Maine, USA Buried at Bayside Cemetery, Eastport, Maine. USA Digest of Citation reads: On 2 September 1918 at Arras, France, when the right flank of the battalion was held up, Lance-Corporal Metcalf rushed forward under intense machine-gun fire to a passing tank and with his signal flag walked in front of the tank directing it along the trench in a perfect hail of bullets and bombs. The machine-gun strong-point was overcome, very heavy casualties were inflicted and a critical situation was relieved. Later, although wounded, Corporal Metcalf continued to advance until ordered to get into a shell hole and have his wounds dressed.

Additional information: Army Number 22614 Lance Corporal William Metcalf was a barber by trade and joined the Army at Valcartier. He was sent to the European War and was awarded the Military Medal followed later by the VC. He was wounded on this occasion. He Died on at Lewiston, Maine, USA on the 8th of August 1968 aged 83 years.

Additional information

Army Number 22614 Lance Corporal William Metcalf was a barber by trade and joined the Army at Valcartier. He was sent to the European War and was awarded the Military Medal followed later by the VC. He was wounded on this occasion. He Died on at Lewiston, Maine, USA on the 8th of August 1968 aged 83 years.

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Alf recorded the memorial as: Buried at Bayside Cemetery, Eastport, Maine. USA

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