Category: Victoria Cross
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VC Paving Stone
A commemorative stone was laid on Sunday 2nd September at Cheltenham War Memorial to commemorate Lt Col Richard Annesley West (VC). The ceremony was attended by members of his family (from as far afield as Australia) and representatives from the Royal Tank Regiment, North Irish Horse and the Royal British Legion. The paving stone was…
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Cheltonian Victoria Cross Recipients
Paving stones are to be installed to mark the 100th anniversaries of Cheltenham’s First World War Victoria Cross heroes. Three men from the borough who received the award will have commemorative stones placed at the war memorial outside the Municipal Offices.
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Lt Col Richard Annesley West VC
Richard Annesley West was born at 1 Oxford Street, Cheltenham on 26th September 1878. He was married to comedy actress Maude Aston (real name Cushing, aunt of the actor Peter Cushing) who he met in South Africa after joining the Army to serve in the Boer war. During WW1 West earned a number of medals for…
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Captain Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby VC
Arthur Kilby was my maternal grandmother’s first cousin. Laura Herbert nee Kilby was also born in 1879 at East Hayes, Pitville Circus Road, Cheltenham. She was close to Arthur Kilby and had spent some of her childhood in the same household as he did. Capt Kilby gave my mother a copy of “At the back…
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Captain Anketell Moutray Read VC
Captain Anketell Moutray Read was born in Beaumont House, 56 Shurdington Road, Leckhampton on the 27th October,1884. He rejoined the Northampton Regiment and was shipped to France in 1914. He was killed on the opening day of the battle of Loos, 25th September, 1915, and was subsequently awarded a posthumous VC.