William Charles Fuller

William Charles Fuller
Born 13 March 1884
Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Died 29 December 1974 (aged 90)
Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
Buried at Oystermouth Cemetery, West Glamorgan
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Rank Sergeant
Unit The Welch Regiment
Home Guard
Battles/wars Second Boer War
World War I
World War II
Awards Victoria Cross
Royal Humane Society Medal for Life-Saving

William Charles Fuller VC (13 March 1884 – 29 December 1974) was a Welsh 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.

Early life

Fuller was the son of William and Mary Fuller of Laugharne, Carmarthen. He was born in Laugharne, West Wales, and died at the age of 90 in December 1974. Educated in Swansea, he joined the Army in 1902 during the Second Boer War. He was recalled as a reservist in 1914.

VC action

He was 30 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 2nd Battalion, The Welsh Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 14 September 1914 near Chivy-sur-Aisne, France, Lance-Corporal Fuller advanced under very heavy enemy rifle and machine-gun fire to extract an officer who was mortally wounded, and carried him back to cover. Fuller won his VC for saving Captain Mark Haggard, nephew of Rider Haggard, who had fallen wounded. He carried him a distance estimated at 100 yards to a ridge where he managed to dress the officer's wounds. Capt Haggard asked L/Cpl Fuller to fetch his rifle from where he'd fell. He did not want the enemy to get it. Fuller managed to do this.

With the help of two others, Private Snooks and Lieutenant Melvin, Officer i/c the machine-gun section of the Welsh Regiment, they managed to get Haggard to the safety of a barn that was being used as a First-Aid dressing station.

L/Cpl Fuller remained with Captain Haggard trying to help him until the officer died later on that evening. His last words to Fuller were "Stick it, Welsh." After he'd died L/Cpl Fuller attended to two other officers who had also been brought to the barn wounded. (Lt. The Hon Fitzroy Somerset and Lt. Richards.) The barn came under heavy fire and the wounded men and officers were evacuated. Later it was razed to the ground with German shell-fire.

On the 29th of October he was wounded while dressing the wounds of Private Tagge a fellow soldier, shrapnel entered his right side, twelve inches in up to his shoulder blade and came to rest on his right lung. After he was sent to Swansea Hospital where they operated, removing the shrapnel. He was given a home posting after his recovery, as a successful recruiting sergeant in his native Wales.

He also served in the Swansea Home Guard in World War II. He held the Royal Humane Society Medal for Life-Saving.[1]

References

  1. ↑ Laugharne War Memorial

External links