Richard William Leslie Wain

Badly wounded, he charged a strongpoint and freed the attack

Richard William Leslie Wain VC was born in Penarth, Glamorgan, on 5 December 1896. Educated at Llandaff Cathedral School and St Bees, he joined the army after the First World War began. He served first with the Welsh Regiment and Middlesex Regiment before receiving a commission in the Manchester Regiment in 1915.

Wain reached France in March 1916. On 1 July, he was wounded as the 17th Manchesters attacked Montauban during the opening of the Battle of the Somme. After recovering, he transferred to the army's tank force in January 1917. At Messines that June, his tank attacked German machine-gun positions and returned to its rallying point.

On 20 November 1917, during the Battle of Cambrai, Wain commanded a section of A Battalion, Tank Corps. Near Marcoing, a direct hit disabled his tank beside an enemy strongpoint that was stopping the infantry. Only Wain and one other crewman survived, both seriously wounded.

Rejecting stretcher-bearers' help, Wain took a Lewis gun and attacked on foot. He captured the position and took prisoners, opening the way for the infantry. Despite his wounds, he then used a rifle against the retreating enemy until a shot to the head killed him. He was 20.

Wain received a posthumous Victoria Cross. His grave was subsequently lost, and his name is recorded on the Cambrai Memorial at Louverval. His parents received the VC at Buckingham Palace in April 1918. His medal group also includes the British War Medal and Victory Medal; his family later lent his VC to The Tank Museum.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery in command of a section of Tanks. During an attack the Tank in which he was was disabled by a direct hit near an enemy strong point which was holding up the attack. Capt. Wain and one man, both seriously wounded, were the only survivors. Though bleeding profusely from his wounds, he refused the attention of stretcher-bearers, rushed from behind the Tank with a Lewis gun, and captured the strong point, taking about half the garrison prisoners. Although his wounds were very serious he picked up a rifle and continued to fire at the retiring enemy until he received a fatal wound in the head. It was due to the valour displayed by Capt. Wain that the infantry were able to advance.

Supplement to The London Gazette of 12 February 1918. 13 February 1918, Numb. 30523, p. 2004