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51674 Private Frank Lester VC
10th Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers
who died on
Saturday, 12th October 1918.
Age 22.
Frank
Lester was born on 18th February 1896 in Huyton, Liverpool to John and
Ellen Lester. He spent his early childhood in Hoylake where he
attended Hoylake National School. Frank was a keen member of Hoylake Boys
Brigade and also played the organ for the local congregation at the
Methodist 'Tin Chapel'.
On completing his
education, Frank trained initially as a joiner until his family moved to
Millers Hay in Irby. Here he worked alongside his father in their
family run market garden business.
In 1916, Frank enlisted in
the Lancashire Fusiliers and was posted to France in 1917. In early
1918 he was wounded but he returned to duty in September of that year.
On 12th October, one month before the end of the war, Frank was killed at Neuvilly in France in the action for which he was posthumously awarded the
Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery.
An extract from
"The London Gazette," No. 31067, dated 13th Dec.,
1918, records the following:
'For most conspicuous
bravery and self-sacrifice during the clearing of the village
of Neuvilly, on 12th October, 1918, when, with a party of
about seven men under an officer, he was the first to enter a
house from the back door, and shot two Germans as they
attempted to get out by the front door. A minute later a fall
of masonry blocked the door by which the party had entered.
The only exit into the street was under fire at point-blank
range. The street was also swept by fire of machine guns at
close range. Observing that an enemy sniper was causing heavy
casualties to a party in a house across the street, Pte.
Lester exclaimed, "I'll settle him," and, dashing
out into the street, shot the sniper at close quarters,
falling mortally wounded at the same instant. This gallant man
well knew it was certain death to go into the street, and the
party opposite was faced with the alternative of crossing the
fire-swept street or staying where it was and being shot one
by one. To save their lives he sacrificed his own.'
He lies in Neuvilly
Communal Cemetery and Extension, Nord, France. Neuvilly
is a small village 6 kilometres north-north-west of Le Cateau
on the road to Valenciennes (D955). The Communal Cemetery and
extension are on the north side of the village outskirts and
on the north side of the main road (D955).
In 2002 his family sold his
VC. See a report
here. |
