Joseph Lister (VC)

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For the famous surgeon see Joseph Lister, 1st Baron Lister.

Joseph Lister VC (19 October 1886- 19 January 1963) was a sergeant in the British Army during World War I who received the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Third Battle of Ypres, Belgium on October 9, 1917. Lister was a native of Stockport, and served in the 1st Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers. He earned his medal for storming two machine gun posts and capturing 100 enemy troops.

Lister was 30 years old, and a sergeant in the 1st Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 9 October 1917 east of Ypres, Belgium, seeing that the advance of his company was held up by machine-gun fire from the direction of a pillbox, Sergeant Lister dashed ahead of his men and found the gun - he shot two of the gunners and the remainder surrendered. He then went to the pillbox and shouted to the occupants to surrender. They did so with the exception of one man whom the sergeant shot, whereupon about 100 of the enemy emerged from the shell-holes further to the rear and surrendered.