Article with annotations. || Frederick William Palmer VC MM 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. He was 25 years old, and a Lance-Sergeant in the 22nd Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 16/17 February 1917 north of Courcelette, France, Lance-Sergeant Palmer assumed command of his company when all his officers had become casualties - which could have resulted in great confusion. Having cut his way under point-blank enemy fire, through wire entanglements, he was able to dislodge an enemy machine gun and established a lock. He then collected some other men and held the barricade for nearly three hours against seven determined counter attacks. While he was fetching more bombs (grenades)an eighth counter attack was delivered, threatening the advance of the whole flank. At this critical moment, although suffering from extreme exhaustion, he rallied his men, drove back the enemy and maintained his position. He later achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant. When his battalion was disbanded, he joined the RFC as an observer. After the war, he went to Malaya, where he set up in business. After the outbreak of the Second World War, he returned to England in 1940, arriving just in time for the Battle of Britain, and re-joined the Royal Air Force. He achieved the rank of Wing-Commander, and was mentioned in dispatches at the end of the war. He then returned to Malaya. He retired to the south of England in 1950. The attached account of his actions was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader. Date stamp: 13 April 1918.

• Soldier’s Service Book – William Price; • Soldier’s Pay Book – William Price; • Character Certificate – William Price; • Certificate Royal Garrison Artillery Specialist Exam – passed exam in signalling and telephony, February 1916; • Frederick Price’s medal; • Handwritten Note William Price Easter 1916 || William Price (1895-1983) came home to Ireland from the war. He was in the No. 2 Depot, RGA, and was transferred to Class “Z” reserve. His rank was Gunner. He voluntarily enlisted on 8/11/1915 and served for the duration of the war (served for 3 years and 10 months). William Price, Gunnery Officer, was stationed at Marne, outside Paris. He may have served with William (Willie) Redmond as there was a connection to the Redmond family. The two brothers (Willie and Fred (1897-1956)) and another brother James (1899-1999) all came home after the war. Fred was very shell-shocked, and would wake at night screaming. Both William and Fred served in France. James, the youngest, was in England and may not have seen action on the front. William and Fred served with the Dublin Fusiliers. William enlisted in November 1915 and served for the duration of the war.

Article with annotations. || John Kendrick Skinner VC, DCM (5 February 1883 – 17 March 1918) was a Scottish 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. He was 34 years old, and an acting company Sergeant Major in the 1st Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, British Army during the First World War and who exhibited most conspicuous bravery and good leading during the Battle of Passchendaele on 18 August 1917 at Wijdendrift, Belgium, for which he received the Victoria Cross. His citation reads: For most conspicuous bravery and good leading. Whilst his company was attacking, machine gun fire opened on the left flank, delaying the advance. Although C.S.M. Skinner was wounded in the head, he collected six men, and with great courage and determination worked round the left flank of three blockhouses from which the machine gun fire was coming, and succeeded in bombing and taking the first blockhouse single-handed; then, leading his six men towards the other two blockhouses, he skilfully cleared them, taking sixty prisoners, three machine guns, and two trench mortars. The dash and gallantry displayed by this warrant officer enabled the objective to be reached and consolidated.William Henry Grimbaldeston VC (19 September 1889 – 13 August 1959) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross and 27 years old, an Acting Company Quartermaster-Sergeant in the 1st Battalion, The King's Own Scottish Borderers, British Army at the Battle of Passchendaele during the First World War when he performed a deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. On 16 August 1917 at Wijdendrift, Belgium, Company Quartermaster-Sergeant Grimbaldeston noticed that the unit on his left was held up by enemy machine-gun fire from a blockhouse. Arming himself with a rifle and hand grenade he started to crawl towards his objective, and when he had advanced about 100 yards another soldier came forward to give covering support. Although wounded, he pushed on to the blockhouse, threatened the machine-gun teams inside with a hand grenade and forced them to surrender. This action resulted in the capture of 36 prisoners, six machine-guns and one trench mortar. He was also awarded the French Croix de Guerre. The attached account of their actions was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader. Date stamp: 22 November 1917 and 1 January 1918.