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LORDWing Commander ASHCROFT'S Frederick "HERO William OF THE Palmer MONTH" VC, MM WingLORD Commander ASHCROFT'S Frederick "HERO William OF THEPalmer MONTH" VC, MM VICTORIA CROSS HEROES II Wing Commander Lord Ashcroft KCMG PC is a businessman, philanthropist, author and pollster. His sixth book on gallantry, Victoria Cross Heroes Volume II, was published in November. For more information, please visit: www. victoriacrossheroes2.com Frederick Lord Ashcroft’s VC and GC collection is on public display at Imperial War Museum, London. For more information visit: www.iwm.org. uk/heroes. For details about LORD ASHCROFT'S his VC collection, visit: www. "HERO OF William Palmer lordashcroftmedals.com VC, MM For more information on Lord Ashcroft’s work, visit: www. THE MONTH" lordashcroft.com. Follow him on Twitter: @LordAshcroft devotion to duty undoubtedly comprehend what life was like for from 1940-5, and was eventually TOP: The two hour averted what might have proved a troops in France and Belgium, and he promoted to wing commander. He investiture in Hyde Park on 2 June 1917 INITIATIVE serious disaster in this sector of the urged them to write to people they was Mentioned in Despatches for his saw 351 awards AGGRESSION • BOLDNESS line.’’ knew on the frontline at least once a courageous actions. presented. Here Palmer’s wounds from the battle week as it would cheer them up. He However, his family home was recipients, and next • LEADERSHIP SACRIFICE were not serious and on 25/26 April, also said that a regular parcel would destroyed by fire in 1942 when the of kin, await their SKILL • INITIATIVE by then commissioned as a second be most welcome. Japanese overran Singapore. His presentations. lieutenant, he was back in the thick After the war, Palmer was wife, who had been working as a The many Victoria Crosses and George Crosses in the Lord BELOW LEFT: Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum in London are of the fighting during an attack on transferred to the RAF as a nurse in Singapore during the war, King George V displayed under one of seven different qualities of bravery. the enemy-held Oppy Wood. At one lieutenant. After being demobbed, and their then two young children awards the VC Whilst Wing Commander Frederick William Palmer’s award point, he had to hide in a shell-hole he became a planter in Malaya and were driven north and taken to a to Pvt. Thomas is not part of the collection, Lord Ashcroft feels that it falls in the enemy wire to avoid the heavy lived in Singapore. He also worked refugee camp. Palmer heard no news Hughes, Connaught within the category of initiative: fire. Once again, there were heavy as a director of Kyle, Palmer & Co, of them for nearly four years but Rangers. The “Difficult situations, which place lives under threat, investiture on 2 require quick decisions and clear solutions. Often casualties and on this occasion the printers and publishers. After the they were released at the end of the June was among those who act are not in charge, but they take control. wood remained in enemy hands. death of his first wife, who bore him war. the largest seen in Confident, aware of what needs to be done, they are Palmer received both his VC and a son, he remarried: on Christmas The family was eventually Hyde Park. Recently convinced they can pull it off. Someone has to act.” the MM, for earlier acts of bravery, Eve 1937, he wed Doris Kimsinn, the reunited and went to live in promoted, 2nd Lt. from King George V at an investiture daughter of a Chinese magistrate, at Hordle, Hampshire. Palmer died in Frederick Palmer TOP RIGHT: th was one of seven Shortly after his 24 birthday, “During the progress of certain in Hyde Park on 2 June 1917. A St Mary’s Church, Kuala Lumpur, Lymington Hospital, Hampshire, on VC recipients A view of the Palmer left for France on 16 operations, all the Officers of his month later, on 11 July, he was asked Malaya, and the couple went on to 10 September 1955, aged 63, leaving a battlefield in honoured. Four the area around November 1915 and was present at Company having been shot down, to attend a Special Meeting of the have a son and two daughters. widow and three children from his posthumous Courcelette taken both Delville Wood and Redan Ridge. Sjt. Palmer assumed command, and, Council of the Metropolitan Borough After the outbreak of the Second second marriage. He was cremated VCs were also a few weeks prior By early 1917, Palmer was back having cut his way under point of Hammersmith, where he grew up. World War, Palmer returned and his ashes were buried at All presented. to Palmer’s VC in France and in February the blank machine gun fire, through Clearly nervous, Palmer received a to England and was granted a Saints churchyard, Hordle. BELOW: The action. The dead British began to press north from the wire entanglements, he rushed rousing reception and was asked to commission in the Royal Air Force In June 2006, his family presented in the foreground commemorative are Canadian Courcelette, close to the Albert- the enemy’s trench with six of his inscribe his name on the borough’s Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR). As a his medals on loan to the Royal stone unveiled by soldiers killed Bapaume road. It was part of the men, dislodged the hostile machine Roll of Honour. pilot officer in the Administrative Fusiliers Museum, and they went Shepherd’s Bush in the fighting area that had been seized by the gun which had been hampering our During his visit, Palmer told the Special Duties Department, he on public display at the Tower of War Memorial to in the area in enemy during the Battle of the advance, and established a block. audience that it was impossible to served in the ground defence forces London. honour Frederick Palmer. October 1916. Somme. Christopher Stone, the “He then collected men detached (COURTESY OF regimental historian, described the from other regiments, and held the THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL) land as “desolate, treeless, a mass of barricade for nearly three hours mine craters, shell holes and wire against seven determined counter- RIGHT: entanglements…” attacks, under an incessant barrage Palmer pictured On 16/17 February, the 22nd and of bombs and rifle grenades from his prior to his 23rd Royal Fusiliers (99th Brigade, 2nd flank and front. transfer to the RAF. Division) were involved in heavy “During his temporary absence fighting that left 85 men dead. D in search of more bombs, an eighth REDERICK WILLIAM Company from the 22nd Battalion counter-attack was delivered by the PALMER was born in had come under intense fire because enemy, who succeeded in driving Hammersmith, west London, on the enemy had been alerted to their in his party, and threatened the 11 November 1891. He was the son of early morning attack on 17 February defences of the whole flank. At this FThomas Palmer, a taxicab owner, and by deserters. It was during the critical moment, although he had his wife Rhoda (née Smith). By 1914, height of the battle that Palmer, by been blown off his feet by a bomb the year he married Daisy Dightam, then a lance sergeant, showed such and was greatly exhausted, he rallied Palmer was working for a publishing outstanding bravery that he was later his men, drove back the enemy and company. After the outbreak of the awarded the VC. The citation for his maintained his position. Great War in August 1914, he enlisted decoration, announced on 3 April “The very conspicuous bravery as a private into the 22nd Battalion, 1917, stated: displayed by this Non-commissioned The Royal Fusiliers (City of London “For most conspicuous bravery, Officer cannot be overstated, and Regiment). control and determination. his splendid determination and 92 www.britainatwar.com www.britainatwar.com 93.

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