Post by Les on Jun 3, 2007 21:27:47 GMT
Memorial plaque to Samuel Frickleton VC
A plaque near the site where Samuel Frickleton won the Victoria Cross will be unveiled on June 7 2007.
Born in Slamannan, Scotland, Lance-Corporal Frickleton was a coalminer at Blackball on New Zealand's West Coast before enlisting and serving with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for two actions against machine-gun emplacements at and close to the ruins of the then Church on June 7, 1917.
The unveiling will take place at the front wall of the Church at 11 am, following the Messines - New Zealand Commemorations of the Battle of Messines Ridge at 9.45 am on Thursday June 7 this year. The plaque is a joint initiative of the Messines Council and the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels.
A descriptive exhibition of the four New Zealand related Victoria Cross recipients in Flanders will be held at the Town Hall throughout the Commemorative period.
VC winner to be remembered 90 years on
Ninety years ago next week, a Scotsman who came to New Zealand to work as a coal miner won the Commonwealth's highest award for bravery.
Samuel Frickleton was 26 when on June 7 1917 he charged into an artillery barrage at the small village of Messines in Belgium and wiped out two German machinegun posts.
His act of "magnificent courage" and "extreme heroism" earned him the Victoria Cross, the 11th New Zealand military man to be honoured with the award.
Next week, 90 years to the day after Lance Corporal Frickleton charged the machinegun posts, a plaque commemorating his bravery is to be unveiled at the British Messines Ridge Cemetery.
Belgians and New Zealanders, including some of LCpl Frickleton's relatives, were expected to be at the cemetery for the 90th anniversary of the battle on Thursday.
The village of Messines, a strategic site, was occupied by the Germans from November 1916, until the New Zealanders helped take it the following year, with Australian troops on one flank and British and Irish on the other.
Military historians believe the battle was one of the most successful on the Western Front.
It was also a costly encounter -- more than 3000 New Zealanders were wounded and 700 killed.
About 250 people were expected to attend the ceremonies at Messines, including Minister of State Services Annette King, the governor of West Flanders, Paul Breyne, New Zealand defence force personnel and citizens of Messines and West Flanders.
Messines was also to host several other events next week, including an exhibition of New Zealand Victoria Cross winners and battlefield walks.
LCpl Frickleton was buried in the Taita Cemetery near Wellington in 1980. His bravery during the battle would be remembered at a service on Thursday.
He worked as a coal miner on the West Coast before enlisting in the 1NZEF and serving briefly at Gallipoli.
He returned to New Zealand where he was discharged as being medically unfit in November 1915.
In April 1916, he re-enlisted, and was posted to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade.
His VC citation said he showed conspicuous bravery and determination when he "dashed forward at the head of his section, pushed into the barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machinegun and crew which were causing heavy casualties.
"He then attacked the second gun, killing the whole of the crew of 12."
The citation said that undoubtedly saved his own and other units from severe casualties.
He was wounded twice during the battle but survived the war and died in 1971, aged 80.
(courtesy of http://www.victoria-cross.com)
A plaque near the site where Samuel Frickleton won the Victoria Cross will be unveiled on June 7 2007.
Born in Slamannan, Scotland, Lance-Corporal Frickleton was a coalminer at Blackball on New Zealand's West Coast before enlisting and serving with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for two actions against machine-gun emplacements at and close to the ruins of the then Church on June 7, 1917.
The unveiling will take place at the front wall of the Church at 11 am, following the Messines - New Zealand Commemorations of the Battle of Messines Ridge at 9.45 am on Thursday June 7 this year. The plaque is a joint initiative of the Messines Council and the New Zealand Embassy in Brussels.
A descriptive exhibition of the four New Zealand related Victoria Cross recipients in Flanders will be held at the Town Hall throughout the Commemorative period.
VC winner to be remembered 90 years on
Ninety years ago next week, a Scotsman who came to New Zealand to work as a coal miner won the Commonwealth's highest award for bravery.
Samuel Frickleton was 26 when on June 7 1917 he charged into an artillery barrage at the small village of Messines in Belgium and wiped out two German machinegun posts.
His act of "magnificent courage" and "extreme heroism" earned him the Victoria Cross, the 11th New Zealand military man to be honoured with the award.
Next week, 90 years to the day after Lance Corporal Frickleton charged the machinegun posts, a plaque commemorating his bravery is to be unveiled at the British Messines Ridge Cemetery.
Belgians and New Zealanders, including some of LCpl Frickleton's relatives, were expected to be at the cemetery for the 90th anniversary of the battle on Thursday.
The village of Messines, a strategic site, was occupied by the Germans from November 1916, until the New Zealanders helped take it the following year, with Australian troops on one flank and British and Irish on the other.
Military historians believe the battle was one of the most successful on the Western Front.
It was also a costly encounter -- more than 3000 New Zealanders were wounded and 700 killed.
About 250 people were expected to attend the ceremonies at Messines, including Minister of State Services Annette King, the governor of West Flanders, Paul Breyne, New Zealand defence force personnel and citizens of Messines and West Flanders.
Messines was also to host several other events next week, including an exhibition of New Zealand Victoria Cross winners and battlefield walks.
LCpl Frickleton was buried in the Taita Cemetery near Wellington in 1980. His bravery during the battle would be remembered at a service on Thursday.
He worked as a coal miner on the West Coast before enlisting in the 1NZEF and serving briefly at Gallipoli.
He returned to New Zealand where he was discharged as being medically unfit in November 1915.
In April 1916, he re-enlisted, and was posted to the 3rd Battalion, 3rd New Zealand (Rifle) Brigade.
His VC citation said he showed conspicuous bravery and determination when he "dashed forward at the head of his section, pushed into the barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machinegun and crew which were causing heavy casualties.
"He then attacked the second gun, killing the whole of the crew of 12."
The citation said that undoubtedly saved his own and other units from severe casualties.
He was wounded twice during the battle but survived the war and died in 1971, aged 80.
(courtesy of http://www.victoria-cross.com)