Awarded for valour in the face of the enemy, the Victoria Cross is our highest military decoration.
These are the tales of ten of the 164 Scots awarded this highly-prized medal.
1. John MacGregor
Born at Cawdor near Nairn in 1889, John MacGregor became Canada’s most-decorated soldier. He emigrated in 1909, working as a carpenter and cowboy before becoming a fur trapper. When he found out Britain was at war, he immediately enlisted in the Canadian Mounted Rifl es. As a captain, he won his VC for his actions from 29 September to 3 October 1918 when he charged the German machine guns near Cambrai in France, killing four and capturing eight using his rifl e and bayonet. At the outbreak of the Second World War, MacGregor enlisted again and became a Lieutenant-Colonel, training troops.
2. William Bissett
Lieutenant William Bissett, from St Martins in Perthshire, was a platoon commander with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders east of Maing, in France, on 25 October 1918. Following heavy casualties, he took command of his company to repel a German counter-attack. Having run out of ammunition, he climbed a railway embankment and called for a bayonet charge, driving the Germans back and ‘saving a critical situation’.
3. John Meikle
For his bravery in single-handedly storming a German machine gun position at Marfaux in France on 20 July 1918 armed only with a revolver and a walking stick, Sergeant John Meikle was posthumously awarded his VC. He had been a ticket clerk at Nitshill railway station in Glasgow before joining the Seaforth Highlanders.
4. George McIntosh
When his company came under heavy machine gun fire at Ypres in Belgium on 31 July 1917, Private George McIntosh from the Gordon Highlanders rushed forward and threw a Mills grenade into the German emplacement. He killed two soldiers and injured a third, capturing two light machine guns in the process.
5. George Findlay
In the final offensive of the First World War, Major George de Cardonnel Elmsall Findlay from Balloch, near Helensburgh, was awarded the VC for bridging the Sambre-Oise Canal near Catillon in France on 4 November 1918. His 409 (Lowland) Field Company of the Royal Engineers built their bridge despite coming under heavy enemy fire.
6. James Pollock
While serving with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders at Hohenzollern Redoubt in France on 27 September 1915, Corporal James Pollock from Tillicoultry climbed out of the British trench and walked along the top of the German trench’s parapet, dropping grenades on the enemy. He took the Germans completely by surprise and held them off for an hour, despite coming under heavy machine gun fire. His cousin, Corporal James Dawson, also won a VC at Hohenzollern just 16 days later. Later in the war, Pollock lost an eye when a rifle grenade burst prematurely. In the Second World War, he joined the Royal Observer Corps.
7. John Ripley
At the age of 48, Sergeant John Ripley from the Black Watch was one of the oldest soldiers to be awarded the VC. On 9 May 1915, Ripley led his section over the German parapet at Rue de Bois in France. After the war, he was honoured by the town council in St Andrews, where he worked as a chimney sweep, a slater and a member of the fire brigade.
8. Samuel Wallace
After losing their commander and five sergeants, Lieutenant Samuel Wallace’s battery was down to five men. The solider from Moffat was awarded his VC for maintaining fire on the enemy at Gonnelieu in France on 20 November 1917 for eight hours before withdrawing.
9. Henry Ritchie
Commander Henry Ritchie, from Edinburgh, was the first sailor to be awarded the VC during the First World War. He was in command of search and demolition operations at Dar es Salaam harbour in East Africa and, despite being wounded seven times in 25 minutes, continued to perform his duties, before an eighth injury knocked him unconscious.
10. John Craig
After an advanced post in Egypt was rushed by a large party of Germans on 5 June 1917, Royal Scots Fusiliers Lieutenant John Manson from Comrie in Perthshire immediately organised a rescue party. He rescued an injured non-commissioned officer and a medical offi cer. He went on to serve with the RAF during the Second World War.
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