James Stokes (VC)

He attacked defended buildings, then led men despite wounds.

James Stokes was born in the Gorbals district of Glasgow on 6 February 1915. Orphaned as a child, he spent part of his upbringing on a farm in Ireland before returning to Glasgow and manual work. He married Janet Kennedy in 1939, and they had a son. Wartime service took him through several army postings before he joined the King's Shropshire Light Infantry.

He served in north-west Europe after the Normandy landings. By March 1945 the 2nd Battalion was advancing into Germany as the Allies pressed towards the Rhine. On 1 March, near Kervenheim, the battalion encountered strongly defended buildings and persistent machine-gun fire.

Stokes moved forward alone against a farmhouse, continuing after he was wounded in the neck. His attack forced defenders to surrender. He then went on towards another position and again attacked despite further wounds. His actions repeatedly broke the resistance holding up the men behind him. When his platoon resumed the advance, he placed himself at its head and was killed during the final attack.

The Victoria Cross citation emphasised that he continued fighting after suffering several wounds and that his example enabled the advance to proceed. He was thirty. He was buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, among the soldiers killed during the final campaign in Germany.

His widow, accompanied by their son, received the posthumous Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on 9 April 1946. His wartime service was also recognised by the 1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal and War Medal. Glasgow commemorated him through a public memorial in the district where he had grown up, linking the story of his last action to his family and working-class community.

Official Victoria Cross citation

In Holland, on 1st March, 1945, during an attack on Kervenheim, Private Stokes was a member of the leading section of a Platoon. During the advance the Platoon came under intense rifle and medium machine gun fire from a farm building and was pinned down. The Platoon Commander began to reorganise the Platoon when Private Stokes, without waiting for any orders, got up and, firing from the hip, dashed through the enemy fire and was seen to disappear inside the farm building. The enemy fire stopped and Private Stokes reappeared with twelve prisoners. During this operation he was wounded in the neck. This action enabled the Platoon to continue the advance to the next objective, and Private Stokes was ordered back to the Regimental Aid Post. He refused to go and continued the advance with his Platoon. On approaching the second objective the Platoon again came under heavy fire from a house on the left. Again, without waiting for orders, Private Stokes rushed the house by himself, firing from the hip. He was seen to drop his rifle and fall to the ground wounded. However, a moment later he got to his feet again, picked up his rifle and continued to advance, despite the most intense fire which covered not only himself but the rest of the Platoon. He entered the house and all firing from it ceased. He subsequently rejoined his Platoon – who, due to his gallantry, had been able to advance – bringing five more prisoners. At this stage the Company was forming up for its final assault on the objective, which was a group of buildings, forming an enemy strong point. Again, without waiting for orders, Private Stokes, although now severely wounded and suffering from loss of blood, dashed on the remaining 60 yards to the objective, firing from the hip as he struggled through intense fire. He finally fell 20 yards from the enemy position, firing his rifle until the last, and as the Company passed him in the final charge he raised his hand and shouted goodbye. Private Stokes was found to have been wounded eight times in the upper part of the body. Private Stokes’ one object throughout this action was to kill the enemy, at whatever personal risk. His magnificent courage, devotion to duty and splendid example, inspired all those round him and ensured the success of the attack at a critical moment; moreover, his self-sacrifice saved his Platoon and Company many serious casualties.

Supplement to The London Gazette of 13 April 1945. 17 April 1945, Numb. 37033, p. 2011