Samuel Frickleton

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Samuel Frickleton
New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsVictoria Cross
Efficiency Decoration

Samuel Frickleton,

British Commonwealth
for gallantry in the face of the enemy.

Born in 1891 in Scotland, Frickleton moved to New Zealand in 1913 and was a

New Zealand Rifle Brigade, then serving on the Western Front. Wounded during the Battle of Messines when he destroyed two machine gun posts, an action that earned him the VC, he received medical treatment in England. He then underwent officer
training but his health was still poor and before the end of the war he was returned to New Zealand.

Post war, Frickleton served in the

Second World War
, and eventually retired from the military in 1948. He died in 1971 at the age of 80.

Early life

Frickleton was born on 1 April 1891 in

West Coast. He and four of his brothers all worked in a mine in the town, extracting coal.[1][2]

First World War

Two men in military uniforms shaking hands
Frickleton being invested with the Victoria Cross by King George V

Following the outbreak of the

New Zealand Military Forces in February 1915 and volunteered to serve overseas with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF).[3] His four brothers had also volunteered for the NZEF.[1]

Frickleton embarked for the Middle East with the 5th Reinforcements with the rank of

New Zealand Rifle Brigade. By March 1917, he had been promoted to corporal.[1]

On 7 June 1917, Frickleton participated in the Battle of Messines. His battalion, covered by artillery fire, was attacking the edge of the village of Messines, now known as Mesen, when it was slowed by two machine gun posts. Frickleton, wounded in the arm, led his section in an attack on the machine gun posts. With the barrage of artillery concealing their approach, he threw a grenade that destroyed one machine gun and rushed forward with a bayonet to deal with the survivors of its crew. He similarly dealt with the other machine gun, making a solo attack under the covering gunfire of his section. He continued to remain involved in the fighting in Messines until being wounded again, this time in the hip. He also was badly gassed which, with his wounds, saw him taken from the battlefield for treatment.[3]

Frickleton was awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) for his actions in dealing with the machine gun posts in Messines.[3] The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest gallantry award that could be bestowed on a soldier of the British Empire.[4] The citation for Frickleton's award read as follows:

For most conspicuous bravery and determination when with attacking troops, which came under heavy fire and were checked. Although slightly wounded, Lance Corporal Frickleton dashed forward at the head of his section, rushed through a barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machine gun and crew, which were causing heavy casualties. He then attacked the second gun, killing the whole of the crew of twelve. By the destruction of these two guns he undoubtedly saved his own and other units from very severe casualties and his magnificent courage and gallantry ensured the capture of the objective. During the consolidation of the position he suffered a second severe wound. He set, throughout, a great example of heroism.

— 
London Gazette, No. 30215, 2 August 1917.[5]

Evacuated to England for medical treatment, Frickleton's wounds would affect his health for the remainder of his life. He was presented with his VC by

King George V on 17 September 1917, in a ceremony at Glasgow. By then he was an acting sergeant, which was confirmed later that year. After a period of further hospitalisation, he was selected for and underwent officer training. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in March 1918 and returned to the Rifle Brigade. However, his health problems persisted and he again was repatriated to New Zealand in June 1918.[6]

The first of the VC recipients of the NZEF to return to New Zealand,[7] Frickleton was accorded a hero's welcome. A reception was held in Frickleton's honour at the Auckland Town Hall. He spent the remainder of the year under medical care[6] before being discharged from the NZEF in December 1918.[1] Of his brothers who also served in the war, one was killed in the Battle of the Somme, and three others were wounded.[7]

Later life

After the war, Frickleton transferred to the New Zealand Staff Corps. He was promoted to acting lieutenant and served as assistant provost marshal for the Wellington Military District for several months until June 1919. He was then transferred to the Canterbury Military District. For health reasons, he retired from the military with the rank of captain in April 1927.[1]

In civilian life he tried several professions. At first, he took up business in Wellington and then tried farming at

coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. He was returned to the Officer Reserve the same year.[1] On the outbreak of the Second World War, Frickleton was unsuccessful in his attempt to enlist in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force being raised for overseas service.[2] Instead he served on the home front as Inspector, New Zealand Military Forces, for the duration of the war. He was returned to the Retired List in 1948.[1]

a colour photograph of a gravestone
Frickleton's grave at Taita Serviceman's Cemetery

In his later years, Frickleton worked for the Colonial Motor Company as a clerk.[2] In 1956, he was one of 400 VC winners who paraded in Hyde Park in London for the VC centenary.[1] He died on 1 September 1971 in Wellington after a long illness.[2] He was survived by his wife,[1] Valeska née Gembitzsky whom he married in 1922,[8] and a son. He is buried in the Taita Serviceman's Cemetery, Naenae.[1]

Medals

In 1977, Frickleton's wife donated his VC and other medals which in addition to the ED, included the

Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess.[10]

Legacy

There are several memorials to his memory; a plaque commemorating his bravery was unveiled on 7 June 2007 at the Mesen Church in Belgium in a ceremony attended by two of his granddaughters. There is also a plaque in his honour at the Messines Ridge British Cemetery[1] and a memorial cairn in Slamannan, his place of birth.[11] In 2010, a barracks at Burnham Military Camp was named for him.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Gliddon 2012, pp. 211–213.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Nathan, Simon. "Samuel Frickleton Biography". New Zealand History. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d Harper & Richardson 2007, pp. 140–143.
  4. ^ O'Shea 2000, pp. 558–559.
  5. ^ "No. 30215". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1917. p. 7906.
  6. ^ a b Gliddon 2012, p. 210.
  7. ^ a b "Frickleton, V.C." Dominion. Vol. XI, no. 221. 6 June 1918. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Social Jottings". Auckland Star. Vol. LIII, no. 14. 18 January 1922. Retrieved 30 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Samuel Frickleton, VC" (PDF). National Army Museum. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  10. ^ NZPA (16 February 2008). "Medals stolen from Waiouru Army Museum recovered". NZ Herald. Archived from the original on 7 September 2012. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  11. ^ "VC hero honoured in his homeland after 93 years". The Scotsman. 1 April 2010. Retrieved 4 April 2020.

References

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