Thomas Neely

Thomas Patrick Neely
Buried	Masnieres British Cemetery, Marcoing, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Rank	Corporal
Unit	The King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment
Battles / wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Military Medal

Thomas Patrick Neely VC MM (28 March 1897- 1 October 1918) 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

He was 21 years old, and a corporal in the 8th Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 27 September 1918 at Flesquières, France, when his company was held up during the advance by heavy machine-gun fire, Corporal Neely realising the seriousness of the situation, at once under point-blank fire, dashed out with two men and rushed the gun positions, disposing of the garrisons and capturing three machine-guns. Subsequently, on two occasions, he rushed concrete strong-points, killing or capturing the occupants. His actions enabled his company to advance 3,000 yards along the Hindenburg support line

Neely was killed three days later, in action at Rumilly-en-Cambrésis, just south of Cambrai, France, on 1 October 1918. He was buried at Masnieres British Cemetery in Marcoing, France.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)