Arthur Herbert Procter
The Reverend Arthur Herbert Procter VC | |
|---|---|
Second World War | |
| Awards |  Victoria Cross |
Arthur Herbert Procter VC (11 August 1890 – 27 January 1973) 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.
Early life and family
He was born in 1890, son of Arthur Richard Procter and his wife Ellen Cumpsty.
In 1917[1] Procter married Hilda May Codd in Birkenhead.[2][4] The couple had three sons.[1]
Award
He was 25 years old, and a private in the 1/5th Battalion, the King's Regiment (Liverpool) (part of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division,[5] British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 4 June 1916 near Ficheux, France, Private Procter noticed some movement on the part of two wounded men who were lying in full view of the enemy about 15 yards in front of the trenches. He at once went out on his own initiative and, although heavily fired at, ran and crawled to the two men, got them under cover of a small bank dressed their wounds and promised that they would be rescued after dark. He left them with warm clothing and then returned to the trenches, again being heavily fired at. The men were rescued at dusk.[6]
Procter was the first British soldier to be decorated with the VC on the battlefield.[7][8]
Further information
After demobilisation in 1919, he returned to the provision trade where he worked as a salesman until 1926,[1] when he took up full-time study for Church of England ministry at St Aidan's College, Birkenhead.[1][9]
He was ordained a deacon in 1927 and priest in 1928, while serving a curacy at
In the
After the war he was successively Rector of St Mary,
He died on 27 January 1973, aged 82, in Sheffield. He was cremated at Sheffield Crematorium in City Road and his ashes buried in All Saints Chapel at Sheffield Cathedral.[13]
Legacy
Blue plaques have been erected to him by Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council at St Mary's Church, Droylsden, and St Stephen's Church, Hyde.[14]
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the
References
- ^ ISBN 0-7136-2176-1.
- ^ a b c [1] Tribute from "The Tameside Citizen".
- ^ Murphy 2008, pp. 120–122.
- ^ Murphy 2008, p. 127.
- ^ "Liverpool Remembrance". Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ "No. 29695". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 August 1916. p. 7744.
- ^ a b "County heroes who won the Victoria Cross". Shropshire Star. 1 July 2016. p. 36.Battle of the Somme – 100 Years feature by Toby Neal; 'County' in this context referring to Shropshire although he did not yet live there.
- ^ Murphy 2008, p. 125.
- ^ a b c Crockford's Clerical Directory, 1971-72. Oxford University Press. p. 779.
- ^ "Chris Hobbs genealogy". Retrieved 15 January 2013.
- ^ Murphy 2008, p. 128.
- ^ Who Was Who, 1971-1980. p. 643.
- ^ Murphy 2008, p. 129.
- ^ [2] Tameside Blue Plaques list.
Bibliography
- Gliddon, Gerald (2004) [2012]. ISBN 978-0-75-247668-1.
- Murphy, James (2008). Liverpool VCs. ISBN 978-1844157808.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (South Yorkshire)
- "Arthur Herbert Procter". Find a Grave. Retrieved 10 August 2010.
- Regimenal Bio