Douglas Walter Belcher

Held an exposed breastwork and stopped a German breakthrough

Douglas Walter Belcher was born in Surbiton, Surrey, on 15 July 1889. Educated at Tiffin School in Kingston upon Thames, he worked for the furniture firm Waring & Gillow. A pre-war volunteer soldier and keen rifle shot, he served with the London Rifle Brigade, the 5th (City of London) Battalion of the London Regiment, and went to France in November 1914.

By the Second Battle of Ypres he was a lance-sergeant. Early on 13 May 1915, he commanded a section of an advanced breastwork south of the Wieltje-St Julien Road. German shells repeatedly broke down the defences, and neighbouring troops withdrew. Belcher and a small group stayed. Throughout the day he directed rapid rifle fire whenever German troops assembled to attack, although they were only 150 to 200 yards away. Their resistance prevented a breakthrough on the Wieltje Road and protected a British division's exposed flank. King George V presented his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on 12 July 1915.

Belcher subsequently became a company sergeant-major and received a commission as a second lieutenant in the London Regiment in February 1916. He became a lieutenant on 10 August 1917. His later service took him to the Indian Army and the 1st Battalion, 6th Gurkha Rifles. He rose to captain and commanded a company in Mesopotamia in 1921, then served in Burma. His retirement took effect on 19 July 1922.

Civilian life included running a greengrocer's business in Tunbridge Wells and working for London accountants. He remained active in veterans' organisations. He had married Emily Frances Luxford in 1917; they had two sons and divorced in 1935.

On 24 May 1939, Belcher relinquished his retired captain's rank to enlist again in the Army. He returned to the London Rifle Brigade and served during the Second World War, reaching sergeant. A fall led to his medical discharge in May 1940. Later wartime employment included work with the Royal Army Pay Corps and prisoner-of-war duties, followed by civil service work. He married Gertrude Elizabeth Brine in 1941. Belcher died at Claygate, Surrey, on 3 June 1953, aged 63, and was buried in Holy Trinity churchyard there.

Official Victoria Cross citation

No. 9539 Lance-Serjeant Douglas Walter Belcher, 1-5th (City of London) Battalion, The London Regiment (London Rifle Brigade).

On the early morning of 13th May, 1915, when in charge of a portion of an advanced breastwork south of the Wieltje-St. Julien Road during a very fierce and continuous bombardment by the enemy, which frequently blew in the breastwork, Lance-Serjeant Belcher with a mere handful of men elected to remain and endeavour to hold his position after the troops near him had been withdrawn. By his skill and great gallantry he maintained his position during the day, opening rapid fire on the enemy, who were only 150 to 200 yards distant, whenever he saw them collecting for an attack. There is little doubt that the bold front shown by Lance-Serjeant Belcher prevented the enemy breaking through on the Wieltje Road, and averted an attack on the flank of one of our Divisions.