Arthur Poulter
| Arthur Poulter VC | |
|---|---|
 Arthur Poulter, VC | |
| Born |
16 December 1893 East Witton, North Yorkshire |
| Died |
29 August 1956 (aged 62) Leeds, West Yorkshire |
| Buried at | New Wortley Cemetery, Leeds |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1916 - 1919 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria Cross |
Arthur Poulter VC (16 December 1893 – 29 August 1956) 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.
Details
Poulter was 24 years old, and a private in the 1/4th Battalion, Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 10 April 1918 at Erquinghem-Lys, France, Private Poulter, who was acting as a stretcher-bearer, on 10 occasions carried badly wounded men on his back through particularly heavy artillery and machine-gun fire. Two of the wounded were hit a second time whilst on his back. Again, after a withdrawal over the river had been ordered, Private Poulter returned in full view of the enemy and carried back another man who had been left behind wounded. He bandaged 40 men under fire and was seriously wounded when attempting another rescue in the face of the enemy.[1]
Further information
- Before the war he was employed as a Drayman at the Timothy Taylor Brewery, Leeds.[2]
- The Town of Erquinghem-Lys, France has erected a memorial to Pte Poulter, next to the railway line. In 2005 the keys to the town were presented to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding).[3]
The medal
His Victoria Cross was donated, by his family (18 August 1999), to the Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum in Bankfield Museum, Halifax, West Yorkshire, England where it was on public display. The medal is now in a safe place a replica is currently on display following an attempted burglary at the museum.[4]
References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - Spring Offensive 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 1997)
External links
- Burial location of Arthur Poulter "West Yorkshire"
- News item "Arthur Poulter's Victoria Cross donated to the Duke of Wellington's Regiment Museum"