I refer to the column (LT, February 2) and the campaign to have the Unknown Soldier awarded a posthumous VC to mark the 100th anniversary of the First World War.
Five holders of this most meritorious award are listed, but conspicuous in their absence are the four Blackburn VCs – Pte James Pitts, Sgt William Grimbaldeston, 2nd Lt John Schofield and Lt Percy Dean RNVR. These men are honoured on a special memorial plaque in Blackburn Town Hall.
James Pitts died in 1955 and is buried in Whalley New Road cemetery, W H Grimbaldeston died in 1959 and was cremated at Pleasington, John Schofield died on April 9, 1918 and lies in Vielle-Chapelle New Cemetery near Bethune, France. He is named on the St Thomas’s Church war memorial (where is that now?) Percy Dean died in London in 1939 and was cremated there. His funeral was attended by Pitts and Grimbaldeston.
The story of the valour shown by these men is recorded in a book by H L Kirby and R R Walsh, published by THCL Books.
B Proud (via email).
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