DELVILLE WOOD

LONGUEVAL - SOMME - FRANCE

Two South African Victoria Crosses won in Africa and Mesopotamia.

Captain

William Anderson BLOOMFIELD, V.C.

(1873-1954)

Scouts Corps, 2^nd South African Mounted Brigade

Mlali, East Africa (now Tanzania) on the 24^th August 1916.

When consolidating his new position after being heavily attacked and being forced to retire, Captain Bloomfield found that one of the wounded – a corporal – had not been evacuated with the rest. At considerable personal risk the Captain went back over 400 yards of ground swept by machine-gun and rifle and managed to reach the wounded man and bring him back to safety.

Captain

Oswald Austin REID, V.C.

(1893-1920)

1st Bataillon, Liverpool Regiment, attached to 6th Bataillon, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Dailah River, Mesopotamia (now Iraq), 8^th/10^th March 1917.

Captain Reid consolidated a small post with the advanced troops on the opposite side of the river to the main body, after his lines of communication had been cut by the sinking of the pontoons. He maintained this position for 30 hours against constant attacks, with the full knowledge that repeated attempts at relief had failed and that his ammunition was all but exhausted. It was greatly dut to his tenacity that the crossing of the river was effected the next night. During the operations he was wounded.