Samuel Meekosha
Encyclopedia
Samuel Meekosha VC
(16 September 1893- 8 December 1950), who changed his name by deed poll
to Samuel Ingham in 1942, 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.
, his family moved to Bradford
when he was a baby.
Samuel's mother was English and he had a Polish father,he was proud of his Eastern European roots but was such a reluctant hero that he changed his surname to Ingham, from his mother's maiden name of Cunningham.
He was 22 years old, and a corporal
in the 1/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
, British Army
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 19 November 1915 near the Yser
, France, Corporal Meekosha was with a platoon of about 20 NCOs and men holding an isolated trench. During a very heavy bombardment six of the platoon were killed and seven wounded, while the rest were more or less buried. When there were no senior NCOs left in action Corporal Meekosha took command, sent for help and in spite of more big shells falling within 20 yards of him, continued to dig out the wounded and buried men in full view of and at close range from the enemy. He was assisted by Privates Johnson, Sayers and Wlkinson who were all awarded the DCM. Their courage saved at least four lives.
Meekosha was commissioned into the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1917. He was promoted Lieutenant
in 1918 and Captain in 1919. He transferred to the Corps of Military Accountants
in 1919, retiring in 1926. He rejoined the West Yorkshire Regiment as a Captain in 1940 and transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
, based in Leicestershire
, later the same year. He was later promoted Major
.
It was reported in the 3 April 2001 issue of The Times
that James Morton, Sotheby's medal specialist, said: "Meekosha was a very modest man who was quite dismissive of the act that earned him the VC. He joined up for the Second World War and because of his unusual name people kept asking him: 'Aren't you the chap that won the VC?' In an attempt to stop the questions he changed his name [to Ingham] by deed poll in 1941 or 1942."
After the First World War he became a representative for the tobacco company John Player. He died at his home in Oakdale
, Blackwood, Monmouthshire, on 8 December 1950.
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....
(16 September 1893- 8 December 1950), who changed his name by deed poll
Deed poll
A deed poll is a legal document binding only to a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an active intention...
to Samuel Ingham in 1942, was an English 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 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.
Details
Samuel Meekosha, born in LeedsLeeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
, his family moved to Bradford
Bradford
Bradford lies at the heart of the City of Bradford, a metropolitan borough of West Yorkshire, in Northern England. It is situated in the foothills of the Pennines, west of Leeds, and northwest of Wakefield. Bradford became a municipal borough in 1847, and received its charter as a city in 1897...
when he was a baby.
Samuel's mother was English and he had a Polish father,he was proud of his Eastern European roots but was such a reluctant hero that he changed his surname to Ingham, from his mother's maiden name of Cunningham.
He was 22 years old, and a corporal
Corporal
Corporal is a rank in use in some form by most militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to NATO Rank Code OR-4....
in the 1/6th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
West Yorkshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own)
The West Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army. In 1958 it amalgamated with The East Yorkshire Regiment to form The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire...
, British Army
British 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 when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 19 November 1915 near the Yser
Yser
The Yser is a river that finds its origin in the north of France, enters Belgium and flows into the North Sea at the town of Nieuwpoort.-In France:The source of the Yser is in Buysscheure, in the Nord département of northern France...
, France, Corporal Meekosha was with a platoon of about 20 NCOs and men holding an isolated trench. During a very heavy bombardment six of the platoon were killed and seven wounded, while the rest were more or less buried. When there were no senior NCOs left in action Corporal Meekosha took command, sent for help and in spite of more big shells falling within 20 yards of him, continued to dig out the wounded and buried men in full view of and at close range from the enemy. He was assisted by Privates Johnson, Sayers and Wlkinson who were all awarded the DCM. Their courage saved at least four lives.
Meekosha was commissioned into the West Yorkshire Regiment in 1917. He was promoted Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1918 and Captain in 1919. He transferred to the Corps of Military Accountants
Corps of Military Accountants
The Corps of Military Accountants was a short-lived corps of the British Army. It was formed in November 1919 and disbanded in July 1925. Its members handled financial matters, although matters relating to pay continued to be handled by the Royal Army Pay Corps....
in 1919, retiring in 1926. He rejoined the West Yorkshire Regiment as a Captain in 1940 and transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Royal Army Ordnance Corps was a corps of the British Army. It dealt only with the supply and maintenance of weaponry, munitions and other military equipment until 1965, when it took over most other supply functions, as well as the provision of staff clerks, from the Royal Army Service...
, based in Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, later the same year. He was later promoted 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. ...
.
It was reported in the 3 April 2001 issue of The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
that James Morton, Sotheby's medal specialist, said: "Meekosha was a very modest man who was quite dismissive of the act that earned him the VC. He joined up for the Second World War and because of his unusual name people kept asking him: 'Aren't you the chap that won the VC?' In an attempt to stop the questions he changed his name [to Ingham] by deed poll in 1941 or 1942."
After the First World War he became a representative for the tobacco company John Player. He died at his home in Oakdale
Oakdale, Caerphilly
Oakdale is a large village in Caerphilly county borough, Wales, 9½ miles north of Caerphilly itself, within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire...
, Blackwood, Monmouthshire, on 8 December 1950.
External links
- Burial location of Samuel Meekosha "Mid Glamorgan"
- News item "Samuel Meekosha's Victoria Cross sold at auction"