Arthur Poulter

Arthur Poulter
VC
Arthur Poulter, VC
Born 16 December 1893
East Witton, North Yorkshire
Died 29 August 1956 (aged 62)
Leeds, West Yorkshire
Buried New Wortley Cemetery, Leeds
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1916 - 1919
Rank Private
Unit Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment
Battles/wars World War I
Awards Victoria Cross

Arthur Poulter VC (16 December 1893 – 29 August 1956) 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

Poulter was 24 years old, and a private in the 1/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 10 April 1918 at Erquinghem-Lys, France, Private Poulter, who was acting as a stretcher-bearer, on 10 occasions carried badly wounded men on his back through particularly heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. Two of the wounded were hit a second time whilst on his back. Again, after a withdrawal over the river had been ordered, Private Poulter returned in full view of the enemy and carried back another man who had been left behind wounded. He bandaged 40 men under fire and was seriously wounded when attempting another rescue in the face of the enemy.[1]

Further information

  • Before the war he was employed at the Timothy Taylor Brewery, Keighley, West Yorkshire.[2]
  • The Town of Erquinghem-Lys, France has erected a memorial to Pte Poulter, next to the railway line. In 2005 the keys to the town were presented to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).[3]

The medal

His Victoria Cross was donated, by his family (18 August 1999), to the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum in Bankfield Museum, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England where it was on public display. The medal is now in a safe place a replica is currently on display following an attempted burglary at the museum.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "No. 30770". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 June 1918. p. 7620.
  2. ↑ "Keighley brewery's tribute to First World War hero". Keighley News. 26 October 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2017.
  3. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2016.
  4. ↑ Museum Archived 10 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine.
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