Ride to Remember Victoria Cross Heros

This year Notts Chapter, Widows Sons Masonic Bikers, again undertook our VC Remembrance Ride, visiting the graves of the nine Victoria Cross holders in our Province, as it had proved so successful last year.

The citation, last post and the Going Down of the Sun were conducted at each grave and a poppy cross laid with the message ‘Remembered by the Widows Sons’. Our first cemetery was Warsop in the north of the Province to remember Sergeant Robert James BYE 1st Bn, Welsh Guards. He was a member of the VC Guard at the interment of the Unknown Warrior on 11th November 1920. We then travelled south to Oxton Church, where we remembered Captain Robert (Rupert) SHERBROOKE - Destroyer Flotilla. Arctic Convoy Escort, He later attained the rank of Rear Admiral and was appointed High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire for 1958–59.

Then Redhill Cemetery, for Sergeant William Henry JOHNSON Sherwood Foresters. Nottingham Cemetery, Private Robert HUMPSTON 2nd Bn, The Rifle Brigade who was invested with his Victoria Cross by Queen Victoria in Hyde Park on the 26th June 1857 & Private Samual MORLEY 2nd Battalion Military Train. Samuel Morley was, to say the least, a ‘bit of a lad’ during his service. His name appears no less than sixteen times in the Regimental defaulter’s book. He was court martialled twice and served two terms of imprisonment, being prone to going absent without leave. He was, however, one of the bravest men ever to serve with the British Army.

Wilford Hill Cemetery was next, where there are three VC holders buried, Corporal Charles Ernest GARFORTH 15th (The King’s) Hussars, Private John Joseph CAFFREY, 2nd Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment & Lance Corporal Harry NICHOLLS 3rd Bn, Grenadier Guards. Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls was reported as being killed in action but in fact was taken prisoner after running out of ammunition. Nicholls was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously as it was presumed that he had died. Harry Nicholls was informed of his award of the Victoria Cross by the Commandant of Stalag XXA Prisoner of War Camp and was invested with his VC following his repatriation at the end of hostilities in 1945. Harry Nicholls was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George VI at Buckingham Palace on the 22nd June 1945.

We were fortunate to meet Lance Corporal Harry Nicholls’ son at the graveside and it was an honour and a privilege to have him join in with our short ceremony. Our ride was completed at Stapleford Cemetery Where we laid our last cross at the grave of Lance Corporal Walter Richard Parker, Royal Marines Light Infantry.