William McFadzean

William Frederick McFadzean VC was a British Army soldier who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He received the decoration for his outstanding bravery and self-sacrifice on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme. During the action, he threw himself on top of a box of live hand grenades that had slipped into a crowded trench, absorbing the blast with his own body to save his comrades.

Today, McFadzean is widely remembered as one of the best-known Victoria Cross recipients of the 36th (Ulster) Division. His memory is preserved through numerous memorials, plaques, murals, and a bronze bust in Lurgan, as well as the preservation of his medal at the Royal Ulster Rifles Museum in Belfast.