James McPhie

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Photo submitted by Gerald Napier - (from the Royal Engineers Library with permission)

James McPhie (18 December 1894 - 14 October 1918) was a Scottish recipient of 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.

[edit] Details

He was 23 years old, and a corporal in the 416th (Edinburgh) Field Company, Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 14 October 1918 at the Canal de la Sensée near Aubencheul-au-Bac, Nord, France, Corporal McPhie was with a party of sappers maintaining a cork float bridge, which when our infantry started to cross it just before dawn began to break away and sink. Corporal McPhie jumped into the water and tried to hold the cork and timbers together, Though he kept the bridge together, the effort killed him.

[edit] The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum (London, England).

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
• VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

[edit] External Links

• Royal Engineers Museum Sappers VCs