William Thomas Forshaw

William Thomas Forshaw was born on 20 April 1890 at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire. A schoolmaster before the First World War, he joined the 1/9th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, Territorial Force, and served with the battalion during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915.

Forshaw was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions between 7 and 9 August 1915 during the fighting at “The Vineyard” on the Gallipoli peninsula. Holding the north-west corner of the position against repeated Turkish attacks, Lieutenant Forshaw directed his men while personally throwing bombs for more than 40 hours. When his own detachment was relieved, he volunteered to remain and continue directing the defence. Later, after Turkish troops captured part of the trench, Forshaw shot three of them and helped retake the position. His courage and example were credited with helping to hold a vital part of the line. (Cumbria County History Trust)

After Gallipoli, his promotion to Captain was confirmed. In 1916, while on leave, he married a nurse at Ashton-under-Lyne. In 1917 he transferred to the 76th Punjabis of the Indian Army. He later served on the North-West Frontier, including operations associated with the Mahsud and Waziristan campaigns, before retiring from the Army in November 1922.

Returning to civilian life proved difficult. Forshaw resumed teaching, but permanent posts were hard to find. He accepted a two-year appointment with the RAF Educational Service in Egypt, then returned to England in 1925. He later settled near Ipswich and attempted to run preparatory schools for boys, but the ventures failed financially. He eventually joined Gaumont British, where he worked in industrial film production. His interest in photography went back to his service in Egypt and Gallipoli, where some of his off-duty photographs had appeared in newspapers.

During the Second World War, Forshaw served as a Major in the 11th City of London Battalion, Home Guard, later acting as a staff officer. In 1941 he and his wife moved to Holyport, Berkshire, as evacuees. He died there at Foxearth Cottage on 26 May 1943, apparently after suffering a heart attack while cutting a hedge in his garden.

Unusually for an officer recipient of the Victoria Cross, Forshaw was buried in an unmarked grave at Touchen End, near Maidenhead. The grave was forgotten for many years until it was traced in 1994, when a headstone was dedicated by his old regiment. In 1996, a blue plaque was placed in his memory at Ladysmith Barracks, Ashton-under-Lyne. (Maidenhead Heritage Centre)

Forshaw’s principal gallantry decoration was the Victoria Cross. His campaign, war and commemorative medal entitlement comprised the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal 1914–20, Victory Medal 1914–19, India General Service Medal 1908–35 with clasps “Mahsud 1919–20” and “Waziristan 1919–21”, Defence Medal, and King George VI Coronation Medal 1937. The India General Service Medal was a campaign medal and not a gallantry decoration.

Forshaw was also Mentioned in Despatches on two occasions. These distinctions are represented on his ribbon bar by a bronze oak leaf on the Victory Medal ribbon for his First World War mention and a further bronze oak leaf on the India General Service Medal ribbon for his later frontier service. The oak leaves represent the Mentions in Despatches themselves and do not change the underlying classification of either medal as a campaign or war medal.

His medals are held by the Manchester Regiment Museum, Ashton-under-Lyne. (The Men Behind The Medals)