Abraham Acton
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Abraham Acton (17 December 1893—16 May 1915) was an English 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 22 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The Border Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 21 December 1914 at Rouges Bancs, France, Private Acton and another Private soldier (James Alexander Smith) went out from their trench and rescued a wounded man who had been lying exposed against the enemy's trenches for 15 hours. On the same day they again left their trench under heavy fire to bring in another wounded man. They were under fire for 60 minutes whilst conveying the wounded men to safety.
He was killed in action, Festubert, France, on 16 May 1915, but his remains were never found - he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Whitehaven - The Beacon (Whitehaven, Cumbria, England).
[edit] References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - 1914 (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)
[edit] External links
- Burial Location of Abraham Acton France
- Location of Abraham Acton's Victoria Cross The Beacon, Whitehaven
