Richard Raymond Willis
Encyclopedia
Major Richard Raymond Willis VC
(13 October 1876 – 9 February 1966) 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.
, Surrey
, was educated at Harrow and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in 1897, joined the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers in India, then was posted with them to the Sudan
for the Mahdist War
.
during the First World War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli
, Turkey
, three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, when landing on W Beach
, were met by a very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. The survivors, however, rushed up and cut the wire entanglements notwithstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties, the cliffs were gained and the position maintained.
Captain Willis was one of the six members of the regiment elected for the award, the others being Cuthbert Bromley
, John Elisha Grimshaw
, William Keneally
, Alfred Joseph Richards
and Frank Edward Stubbs
. Willis later achieved the rank of Major
.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Fusilier Museum in Bury, Lancashire.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(13 October 1876 – 9 February 1966) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Early career
Willis from WokingWoking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, was educated at Harrow and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in 1897, joined the 2nd Battalion of the Lancashire Fusiliers in India, then was posted with them to the Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
for the Mahdist War
Mahdist War
The Mahdist War was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt. The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign...
.
World War I
He was 38 years old, and a captain in the 1st Battalion, The Lancashire Fusiliers, British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 25 April 1915 west of Cape Helles, Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
, three companies and the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, when landing on W Beach
Landing at Cape Helles
The landing at Cape Helles was part of the amphibious invasion of the Gallipoli peninsula by British and French forces on April 25, 1915 during the First World War. Helles, at the foot of the peninsula, was the main landing area. With the support of the guns of the Royal Navy, a British division...
, were met by a very deadly fire from hidden machine-guns which caused a large number of casualties. The survivors, however, rushed up and cut the wire entanglements notwithstanding the terrific fire from the enemy and after overcoming supreme difficulties, the cliffs were gained and the position maintained.
Captain Willis was one of the six members of the regiment elected for the award, the others being Cuthbert Bromley
Cuthbert Bromley
Major Cuthbert Bromley VC 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....
, John Elisha Grimshaw
John Elisha Grimshaw
Lieutenant-Colonel John Elisha Grimshaw VC 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.Born in Abram, Lancashire, he worked as a coal miner before enlisting in...
, William Keneally
William Keneally
William Stephen Kenealy VC , was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest military award for gallantry in the face of the enemy given to British and Commonwealth forces.-Biography:...
, Alfred Joseph Richards
Alfred Joseph Richards
Alfred Joseph Richards VC 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....
and Frank Edward Stubbs
Frank Edward Stubbs
Frank Edward Stubbs VC 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....
. Willis later achieved the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Fusilier Museum in Bury, Lancashire.
External links
- VC sale details
- Location of grave and VC medal (Gloucestershire)