Thomas Whitham

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thomas Whitham VC (b. May 11, 1888, d. October 22, 1924) 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.

On January 25, 1915, Whitham enlisted in the British Army. He was 29 years old, and a private in the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards, during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On July 31, 1917 at Pilkem, Belgium, during an attack an enemy machine-gun was seen to be enfilading the battalion on the right. Private Whitham on his own initiative immediately worked his way from shell-hole to shell-hole through our own barrage, reached the machine-gun and, although under very heavy fire captured it, together with an officer and two other ranks. This bold action was of great assistance to the battalion and undoubtedly saved many lives.

After the war he became a bricklayer but times were hard and he had been rejected for other jobs by the Burnley council even though he had served his king and country in the Great War and had won the VC. He was forced to sell his VC and a gold watch that had been presented to him by the council in recognition of his bravery. Both ended up in a pawn shop but were rescued by the council and remain in the Townley Hall Art Gallery & Museums in Burnley. He died in poverty aged 36. It wasn't until 1952 that a memorial was built for him by the Coldstream Guards just outside Burnley.^[1]