Henry Weale

Rushed enemy gun posts after his own machine gun failed him.

Henry Weale was serving as a lance-corporal in the 14th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, near Bazentin-le-Grand, France, on 26 August 1918. Machine-gun positions had stopped a neighbouring battalion, and he was ordered to silence them.

When his Lewis gun failed, Weale continued the assault on his own initiative. He rushed the nearest post and killed its crew, then attacked the other positions. Their defenders fled, and he pursued them. The attack secured the enemy machine guns and allowed the advance to continue.

For this action he received the Victoria Cross, presented by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 1 March 1919. His military career continued after the Armistice, and he became a sergeant in July 1921. During the Second World War he returned to service as an airfield guard until January 1941.

Weale came from Shotton, north Wales, and later lived at Rhyl, where he died on 13 January 1959. His original medal group is preserved at the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum, Caernarfon Castle. It includes the 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal with a mention-in-despatches emblem, Defence Medal, War Medal and the 1937 and 1953 Coronation Medals, as well as his Victoria Cross.

Victoria Cross citation, London Gazette, 15 November 1918:

No. 5046 L./Cpl. Henry Weale, R.W. Fus. (Shotton, Ches.).

For most conspicuous bravery and initiative in attack. The adjacent battalion having been held up by enemy machine guns, L./Cpl. Weale was ordered to deal with the hostile posts. When his Lewis gun failed him, on his own initiative he rushed the nearest post and killed the crew, then went for the others, the crews of which fled on his approach, this gallant N.C.O. pursuing them.

His very dashing deed cleared the way for the advance, inspired his comrades, and resulted in the capture of all the machine guns.