A FORMER Stonyhurst College student who was awarded the first Victoria Cross in the First World War has been featured in a BBC TV programme.

Maurice Dease, a lieutenant in the 4th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, was killed in the opening engagement of 1914 at the Battle of Mons.

The Irish Catholic from County Westmeath had boarded at the Ribble Valley school for five years.

Maurice’s story was recently featured in the BBC 3 series ‘Our World War: The First Day’.

It told how on August 22, Lt Dease led his men to the canal near Mons in Belgium. Soon, the Germans approached the bridge and despite being shot in the neck and head, Dease continued to fight.

He was awarded the VC on November 16, 1914, when the War Office said: “Though badly wounded he continued to control the fire of his machine guns at Mons until all his men were shot. He died of his wounds.”