William Mariner
Private, 2nd Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps
- Register No.
- 836 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps all King's Royal Rifle Corps VCs →
- Date of action
- 22 May 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 23rd June, 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Born
- the 29th May, 1882 at 12, Wellington Street, Chorley,
- Died
- in action on 1st July 1916 in France
- Memorial / grave
- on Theipval Memorial, France
Digest of citation
Taking advantage of a violent thunderstorm, on the 22nd and May 1915 near Canbrai, France, Private Mariner left his trench and creeping through German wire entanglements, reached an enemy gun emplacement. This gun had been thwarting his company's progress. Climbing on top of a German Parapet he threw a bomb under the emplacement's roof and waited for a quarter of an hour before throwing another bomb. He returned to his own trench, after waiting for the guns to fire on their entanglements of wire. He had been all alone for an hour and a half
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
MARINER, * William. (reg No. 836).
Private. 2nd Battalion. King's Royal Rifle Corps.
London Gazetted on 23rd June, 1915.
Born on the 29th May, 1882 at 12, Wellington Street, Chorley, Lancashire. .
Killed in action on 1st July 1916 in France.
Memorial on Theipval Memorial, France.
Digest of Citation reads: Taking advantage of a violent thunderstorm, on the 22nd and May 1915 near Canbrai, France, Private Mariner left his trench and creeping through German wire entanglements, reached an enemy gun emplacement. This gun had been thwarting his company's progress. Climbing on top of a German Parapet he threw a bomb under the emplacement's roof and waited for a quarter of an hour before throwing another bomb. He returned to his own trench, after waiting for the guns to fire on their entanglements of wire. He had been all alone for an hour and a half.
* Mariner was not his real name. He was the son of Mrs A. Wignall .
* Mariner was not his real name. He was the son of Mrs A. Wignall
Lancashire. .
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on Theipval Memorial, France
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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