Tom Fletcher Mayson

Tom Fletcher Mayson
Born	3 November 1893 Silecroft, Millom, Cumberland
Died	21 February 1958 (aged 64) Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire
Buried at	St Mary's Churchyard, Whicham
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Lance sergeant
Unit	The Sherwood Foresters
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Tom Fletcher Mayson VC (3 November 1893 – 21 February 1958) 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.

Details

He was 23 years old, and a Lance-Sergeant in the 1/4th Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 31 July 1917 at Wieltje, Belgium, when his platoon was held up by machine-gun fire, Lance-Sergeant Mayson, without waiting for orders, at once made for the gun which he put out of action with bombs, wounding four of the team; the remaining three of the team fled, pursued by Lance-Sergeant Mayson to a dug-out where he killed them. Later, when clearing up a strongpoint, this NCO again tackled a machine-gun single-handed, killing six of the team. Finally during an enemy counterattack he took charge of an isolated post and successfully held it until ordered to withdraw and his ammunition was exhausted.^[1]

The Medal

His Victoria Cross was left to Whicham Church from where it is on loan to the Kings Own Royal Regimental Museum. in Lancaster, Lancashire^[2]

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Cumbria)
• Royal Lancaster Regiment