Thomas Bryan VC

Name: Thomas Bryan

Conflict: First World War

Gazetted: June 8, 1917

Service: Army

Place/date of birth: Stourbridge, Worcestershire/January 21, 1882

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Lance-Corporal

Date of bravery: April 9, 1917

London Gazette citation:

No. 22040 L./Cpl. Thomas Bryan, North’d Fus.

For most conspicuous bravery during an attack.

Although wounded, this Non-commissioned Officer went forward alone, with a view to silencing a machine gun which was inflicting much damage. He worked up most skilfully along a communication trench, approached the gun from behind, disabled it and killed two of the team as they were abandoning the gun.

As this machine gun had been a serious obstacle in the advance to the second objective, the results obtained by Lance-Corporal Bryan’s gallant action were very far-reaching.

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: N/A

Place/date of death: Bentley, Doncaster, Yorkshire/October 13, 1945

Grave/memorials: Arksey Lane Cemetery, Arksey, South Yorkshire; Castleford Civic Centre, West Yorkshire

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Dix Noonan Webb, London, 2000

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum