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maintained his position during the day, opening rapid fire on the enemy, who were only 150 to 200 yards distant, whenever he saw them collecting for an attack. There is little doubt that the bold front shown by Lance-Serjeant
Belcher prevented the enemy breaking through on the Wieltje Road, and averted an attack on the flank of one of our Divisions.
358:
Road during a very fierce and continuous bombardment by the enemy, which frequently blew in the breastwork, Lance-Serjeant
Belcher with a mere handful of men elected to remain and endeavour to hold his position after the troops near him had been withdrawn. By his skill and great gallantry he
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in July 1915, and promoted to the rank of
Company Sergeant-Major, and served as a training officer with the London Rifle Brigade's 3rd Battalion, until receiving a commission as a 2nd Lieutenant with the 3rd Battalion of the 8th London Regiment
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he briefly re-enlisted with the
British Army, but was discharged soon afterwards through injury and ill health. He remarried in London in 1941, and was resident in Surbiton post-war.
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He entered France with the
Regiment's 1st Battalion in November 1914, and was an awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the
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Belcher suffered from ill health in his middle years, and went through a number of occupations, from running a greengrocer's shop in
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He re-enlisted as a professional soldier with the
British Army post-war, and saw Imperial service in the Middle East during the
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546:'Memorial Stone for Surbiton v.c. hero', 'Your Local Guardian' newspaper (Pub. Kingston-Upon-Thames), 28 February 2015.
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On the early morning of 13th May, 1915, when in charge of a portion of an advanced breastwork south of the
Wieltje-
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225:, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to
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Belcher was awarded the
Victoria Cross for heroism in action with the London Rifle Brigade during the
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555:'V.C's of the First World War, 1915' by P. Batchelor and C. Matson (Pub. The History Press, 2012).
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He was the second member of the
British Army's Territorial Force to receive the medal, Lieutenant
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He died on 3 June 1953 aged 63. His body was buried in the churchyard of Holy
Trinity Church, in
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584:'V.C's of the First World War - 1915', by Batchelor & Matson (Pub. The History Press, 2012).
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431:. His first marriage produced two sons, but was divorced in the mid 1930s. On the outbreak of
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He was subsequently assigned as a training officer at the Depot of the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles.
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World War I Medal Card Index, National Archive, Kew, Surrey, order code: WO 372/2/79867
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having been first awarded it during the fighting at 2nd Ypres a few days earlier.
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261:. In 1914 he was employed as a furniture salesman in the Antiques department of
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Victoria Crosses on the Western Front August 1914–April 1915: Mons to Hill 60
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On returning to England in mid-1915 he was presented with the medal by
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501:"Newsletter of the Old Tiffinians' Association No. 235", March 2008
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He married Miss Emily Francis Luxford in Surbiton in January 1917.
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along with the Victoria Cross (which is today displayed at the
510:'supplement to the London Gazette, 17 February 1916, p. 1795.
528:'Daily Record', 1 February 1917 (Pub Lanarkshire, Scotland).
289:'s declaration of war on 4 August 1914 and its entry into
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He volunteered pre-war as Rifleman No.9539 with the 5th
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British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
333:. He was discharged from the British Army in 1922.
241:Douglas Walter Belcher was born on 15 July 1889 in
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537:Medal Cards Index, National Archive, Kew, Surrey.
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609:Batchelor, Peter; Matson, Christopher (2011).
734:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
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345:in April 1915, when he was 25 years of age.
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574:(Supplement). 22 June 1915. p. 6115.
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684:British Army personnel of World War II
495:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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285:, in March 1913, and was mobilized on
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709:British Army personnel of World War I
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217:(15 July 1889 – 3 June 1953) was an
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714:King's Royal Rifle Corps officers
81:Holy Trinity Churchyard, Claygate
729:People educated at Tiffin School
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300:in May 1915 whilst a sergeant.
16:Recipient of the Victoria Cross
689:Military personnel from Surrey
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724:Royal Army Pay Corps officers
704:London Rifle Brigade soldiers
383:Belcher was also awarded the
379:Medals awarded in World War I
423:, farming in the county of
337:Award of the Victoria Cross
316:), T.F., in February 1916.
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739:Territorial Force soldiers
615:VCs of the First World War
427:, to clerical work in the
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694:London Regiment officers
281:(London Rifle Brigade),
152:King's Royal Rifle Corps
129:1914 - 1922, 1939 - 1940
636:Oldfield, Paul (2014).
611:The Western Front 1915
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329:, and subsequently in
298:Second Battle of Ypres
210:Douglas Walter Belcher
176:Second Battle of Ypres
25:Douglas Walter Belcher
126:Years of service
699:People from Surbiton
259:Kingston upon Thames
156:Royal Army Pay Corps
642:Pen and Sword Books
343:2nd Battle of Ypres
263:Waring & Gillow
245:, in the county of
571:The London Gazette
314:Post Office Rifles
255:Tiffin Boys School
679:Burials in Surrey
628:978-0-7524-6057-4
619:The History Press
477:on 4 October 2011
389:British War Medal
327:1920 Iraqi Revolt
309:Buckingham Palace
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479:. Retrieved
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162:Battles/wars
120:British Army
65:(1953-06-03)
47:15 July 1889
18:
674:1953 deaths
669:1889 births
566:"No. 29202"
291:World War I
166:World War I
63:3 June 1953
663:Categories
481:15 October
451:References
447:, Surrey.
415:Later life
401:Winchester
356:St. Julien
237:Early life
87:Allegiance
405:Hampshire
385:1914 Star
594:vconline
491:cite web
445:Claygate
362:—
349:Citation
243:Surbiton
233:forces.
109:Service/
72:, Surrey
70:Claygate
50:Surbiton
425:Suffolk
409:England
251:England
227:British
219:English
138:Captain
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387:, the
247:Surrey
193:Awards
111:branch
96:
77:Buried
54:Surrey
475:(PDF)
468:(PDF)
439:Death
331:Burma
646:ISBN
623:ISBN
497:link
483:2008
421:Kent
283:T.F.
229:and
144:Unit
134:Rank
60:Died
44:Born
411:).
399:in
265:on
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312:(
101:/
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