William Ratcliffe

Last updated

William Ratcliffe
Victoria Cross Medal without Bar.png
Born18 January 1884
Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Died26 March 1963 (aged 79)
Liverpool, Lancashire, England
Buried
Allerton Cemetery, Liverpool, England
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom.svg  United Kingdom
Service/branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
RankPrivate
UnitThe South Lancashire Regiment
Battles/wars Second Boer War
World War I
Awards Victoria Cross
Military Medal

William Ratcliffe VC MM (18 January 1884 – 26 March 1963) was an English private of South Lancashire Regiment. He was a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Contents

Biography

Group portrait of VC winners. Left to right: Edward Cooper (left), awarded the VC: Belgium, 16 August 1917; Robert Bye, awarded the VC, Belgium, 31 July 1917; William Ratcliffe, awarded the VC, Belgium, 14 June 1917; Wilfred Edwards, awarded the VC, Belgium, 16 August 1917. Victoria Cross Winners- 1914-1919. Q54045.jpg
Group portrait of VC winners. Left to right: Edward Cooper (left), awarded the VC: Belgium, 16 August 1917; Robert Bye, awarded the VC, Belgium, 31 July 1917; William Ratcliffe, awarded the VC, Belgium, 14 June 1917; Wilfred Edwards, awarded the VC, Belgium, 16 August 1917.

William Ratcliffe was born on 18 January 1884 at 38 Newhall Street, Liverpool, Lancashire. His parents were William Ratcliffe and Mary Ann Kelly. He was baptised at St Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church on 21 January 1884. His birth was not registered by his mother until 31 March 1884. His mother gave his month of birth as February in order to avoid late registration of the birth. He was educated at St. Vincent de Paul's Roman Catholic School in Norfolk Street, Liverpool. [1]

Ratcliffe worked on the Liverpool docks briefly after leaving school, then joined the British Army at the age of 17 and served in South Africa during the Second Boer War and in India. He initially served with the South Lancashire Regiment, 3rd Battalion and later transferred to the Durham Light Infantry. By 1914 he had left the army and was back working as a docker in Liverpool. When war was declared he quickly re-joined, enlisting with the South Lancashire Regiment in August 1914. He won the Military Medal and Victoria Cross at the Battle of Messines (1917). [2]

In 1929 Victoria Cross winners were invited, by the Prince of Wales, to attend a dinner at the Royal Gallery of the House of Lords. Ratcliffe was reluctant to attend due to lack of funds. After a newspaper story was published about him, the people of Liverpool raised money to kit him out in a new suit suitable for the occasion. He worked on the Liverpool Docks until an industrial accident forced him into early retirement in the 1940s. In 1956 he attended the Centennial of the institution of the Victoria Cross in London's Hyde Park, where the living holders were reviewed by Queen Elizabeth II. On this occasion the Victoria Cross Association paid for a new suit and accommodation. [3]

Memorial in Liverpool Town Hall Private Wm Radcliffe VC, Liverpool, 16 April 2013.jpg
Memorial in Liverpool Town Hall

Details

Ratcliffe was 33 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, the South Lancashire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place during the Battle of Messines for which he was awarded the VC.

On 14 June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, after an enemy trench had been captured, Private Ratcliffe located an enemy machine-gun which was firing on his comrades from the rear, and single-handed, on his own initiative, immediately rushed the machine-gun position and bayoneted the crew. He then brought the gun back into action in the front line. Private Ratcliffe had displayed similar gallantry and resource on previous occasions. [4] [5]

The medal

His VC is on loan to the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth Road, London.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cyril Edward Gourley</span> English Victoria Cross recipient (1893–1982)

Captain Cyril Edward Gourley VC MM was a British Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Barratt (VC)</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Thomas Barratt VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Young (VC)</span> Scottish Victoria Cross recipient (1876-1916)

William Young VC was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert White (VC)</span>

Sergeant Albert White VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Brooks (VC)</span>

Company Sergeant Major Edward Brooks VC was a British Army soldier and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Dresser</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Tom Dresser was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albert Halton</span> English Victoria Cross recipient (1893-1971)

Albert Halton VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Edward Kenny</span>

Henry Edward Kenny VC, was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Dowling (VC)</span> Irish Victoria Cross recipient (1825–1887)

William Dowling, born in Thomastown, County Kilkenny, was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Edward Heaton</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

William Edward Heaton VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Herbert Procter</span>

Arthur Herbert Procter VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arnold Loosemore</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Arnold Loosemore was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Hutchinson (VC)</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

James Hutchinson VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was serving with the British Army during the First World War at the time of the award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gabriel Coury</span> English Victoria Cross recipient (1896-1956)

Gabriel Georges Coury VC, was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Fletcher Mayson</span> English Victoria Cross recipient (1893-1958)

Tom Fletcher Mayson VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was awarded the VC for actions during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge of the Battle of Passchendaele.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederick William Palmer</span> English Victoria Cross recipient (1891-1955)

Frederick William Palmer was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward John Mott</span>

Sergeant Edward John Mott VC DCM was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Readitt</span>

John Readitt VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Johnstone Milne</span>

William Johnstone Milne VC was a First World War Canadian soldier. Milne was a posthumous recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He received the VC for his actions at the Battle of Vimy Ridge on 9 April 1917.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frank Lester (VC)</span> Recipient of the Victoria Cross

Frank Lester VC was an English soldier in the British Army during the First World War, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British Commonwealth forces.

References

  1. ↑ Birth
  2. ↑ Military Service
  3. ↑ Events
  4. ↑ "No. 30215". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 July 1917. p. 7907.
  5. ↑ VC medal loan

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.