Private Hubert William Lewis VC

[Gardenerbill]

It is 100 years ago this week that Private Hubert William Lewis won the first VC of the Salonika campaign for his part in a trench raid by the 11th Welsh on a hill known as the Dorsale. I carried out a number of searches on the forum but couldn't find any reference to this gallant soldier. How do I find the citation?

[ralphjd]

London Gazette 16 12 16. Deed 22-23 Oct During a raid near SERES he was wounded twice on reaching the enemy trenches and a third time when searching them , but refused all medical assistance. He the came across three of the enemy , whom he captured , then during the retirement went to the assistance of a wounded comrade . Under heavy shell and rifle fire he brought him back to safety , after which he collapsed as a result of his wounds. Named on the Haverfordwest War Memorial , Dyfed. 

 

His photo is in Monuments To Courage if you need it. Ralph.

Edited 16 October , 2016 by ralphjd

[GWF1967]

V.C is in the Lord Ashcroft collection. 

 From Wiki. which has a good photo. 

 Ralph is faster. 

Edited 16 October , 2016 by GWF1967

[Gardenerbill]

Thanks Ralph and GWF1967,

Interestingly the Gazette entry 'near SERES' is wrong, the Dorsale where the raid took place is near Machukovo as stated in the Wiki entry, whereas Seres is in the Struma vallay around 100 km to the East of Machukovo. Just goes to show you can't rely on a single source.

 

I followed the link to the Gazette entry from the Lord Ashcroft Collection website and I can't see the reference to SERES hence the edit.

Edited 16 October , 2016 by Gardenerbill

[little bob]

Gardenerbill

A service to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Hubert William Lewis winning the Victoria Cross will be held at 11am Saturday 22nd October at the Memorial Gardens,Milford Haven.

On January 31st 2016  I posted a request  about the 11th Battalion Welsh Regiment War Diary.The replies may be of interest to you.

Bob

Edited 16 October , 2016 by little bob
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[clive_hughes]

Thanks Bob,

I hope the memorial sundial for him in the Gardens has now been restored - it was vandalised not long after it was put there.

 

It's curious how there was an occasional undertone of "he didn't deserve it" in the Milford area - a rumour that the man who actually carried out these deeds was someone else with a similar name, or something!!  I heard it voiced a few times, always of course with a disclaimer!  No doubts in my mind, but you wonder whether there were some local grudges to be settled, or a refusal to believe that a little fish-packer simply couldn't have been that brave!

 

Clive

 

[ralphjd]

The deed quotation is taken from my volume of Monuments to Courage  VC winners . Ralph.

[Gardenerbill]

2 hours ago, clive_hughes said:

It's curious how there was an occasional undertone of "he didn't deserve it"

 

It probably didn't help that his act of bravery took place in Salonika, very much seen as a side show where nothing happened and the butt of music hall jokes.

[little bob]

Clive

 

 The sundail has been removed and replaced with a plaque engraved with a Victoria Cross. A little strange as the original plate is still in place on the front of the plinth.

 

Bob