James Crichton (VC)

. Front row, Sg. J.D. Hinton, Lt. K. Elliott, Cpt. C.H. Upham, Sg. A.C. Hulme, Cpt. S. Frickleton, Lt. J.G. Grant.]

James Crichton VC (15 July, 1879 - 25 September, 1961) was born in Carrickfergus in County Antrim. By birth an Irish recipient, and by naturalisation a New Zealander 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 39 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 30 September 1918 at Crevecoeur, France, Private Crichton, although wounded in the foot, stayed with the advancing troops despite difficult canal and river obstacles. When his platoon was forced back by a counterattack he succeeded in carrying a message which involved swimming a river and crossing an area swept by machine-gun fire. Subsequently he rejoined his platoon and later undertook on his own initiative to save a bridge which had been mined. Under close fire he managed to remove the charges, returning with the fuses and detonators.

He later achieved the rank of sergeant. He died at Takapura, New Zealand, on 25 September 1961.

References

Listed in order of publication year
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
*The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
*Irelands VCs ISBN 1-899243-00-3 (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
*VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

External links

* [http://www.ozemail.com.au/~vcweb/winners/nz_winners/crichton.htm Crichton J.]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/7572/nzvcross.txt New Zealand Troops who have won the Victoria Cross] "(brief biography details)"