Commemorative Victoria Cross Paving Stones ~ Victoria Embankment Gardens Whitehall Extension London

1 COMMEMORATIVE VICTORIA CROSS PAVING STONES ~ VICTORIA EMBANKMENT GARDENS WHITEHALL EXTENSION LONDON During a visit to London I went to view these paving stones commemorating twelve London born recipients of the Victoria Cross. They had been unveiled on or close to the 100th Anniversary of the day on which each recipient had performed their act of conspicuous gallantry for which they were awarded the Victoria Cross. Those who are commemorated in the gardens are as follows with brief biographical details. Lieutenant Frank de Pass V.C. ~ 34th Prince Albert Victor’s Own Poona Horse Frank Alexander de Pass was born in London on the 26th April, 1887, the son of Eliot and Beatrice de Pass of 23 Queen’s Gate Terrace. Frank, one of three sons was educated at the Abbey School Beckenham and Rugby School. He entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1904 and was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in January 1906. In 1909 whilst stationed in India he was promoted to Lieutenant. He applied for and gained a commission in the 34th Prince Albert Victor’s Own Poona Horse having learnt to speak Hindustani and Persian. He was appointed Orderly Officer to Sir Percy Lake, Chief of the General Staff in India with the local rank of Captain in 1913. The 34th Poona Horse, were mobilised for war on the 9th August 1914, part of the 2nd Indian Cavalry Division, Secunderabad Brigade and Frank de Pass rejoined his regiment in early September 1914. They embarked on the transport ship at Bombay on the 15th September but due to unforeseen circumstances sailed for France five days later. They disembarked at Marseilles on the 15th October and by the beginning of November found themselves in action at Neuve Chapelle. During the First Battle of Ypres, a sector held by the Indian Corps was subjected to an intense German heavy bombardment, and infantry attacks. The enemy penetrated part of the line to the west of Neuve Chapelle held by the 2nd Gurkhas. The only reserve available was three squadrons of the 34th Poona Horse who had just arrived at the front. They were led into action 2 dismounted by their commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel C.O. Swanston D.S.O., who was the first to be killed. The 34th Poona Horse’s initiation into the First World War was intense and after heavy fighting in the First Battle of Ypres the Indian Corps strength was considerably depleted. The Secunderabad Cavalry Brigade, consisting of the 20th Deccan Horse, 34th Poona Horse and 7th Dragoon Guards were the only reserves left and they were sent to occupy trenches at Festubert, a village to the east of Bethune to relieve the infantry in mid-November. The action which led to the award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant de Pass is extracted from the Regiments War Diary. The entries for the 23rd to 26th November 1914 are as follows: ‘Oblinghem ‘23rd November – A detachment of 180 men. Capt. Grimshaw, Capt. Alderson, Lt de Pass attached to Ferozepore Brigade for duty in trenches – owing to a local attack by the Germans & consequent counter attack 130 men. Major Molloy, Capt. Lucas & Hildabrand were sent with troops of Cav. Bde. to ast [assist] as supports to the Ferozepore Brigade. ‘24th November – Party under Major Molloy returned to billets about 8 a.m. – detachment under Capt. Grimshaw occupied a portion of the line of trenches – casualties during day killed 2 wounded 10. ‘25th November – Capt. Grimshaws detachment in trenches no casaulites. ‘26th November – 114? 130 men Major Molloy, Major Loring & Capt. Hildabrand Machine Gun Section returned Capt. Grimshaws detachment during night 26/27. A report by Capt. Grimshaw is attached in Appendix B1 a copy of which was forwarded to Sec.Bde. for information’. The report in (Appendix B1) submitted to the Brigade Major by Captain R.W.W. (Roly) Grimshaw (1879-1932) commanding D Squadron, Poona Horse, reads:- ‘Lt de Pass ‘On arrival in the trenches at 4 a.m. 23rd it was determined that the enemy had driven a sap up to the parapet of that part of the trenches allotted to the Poona Horse. The enemy had blown in the main parapet and a breach of 8 feet in length existed turning the trench exposed to sniper fire from the sap. A troop was told off to hold this until daylight when a careful inspection could be made with stress to erect a barrier at once to cover themselves from rifle fire. Lt de Pass asked permission to have the defence of this breech placed under his orders. The request was granted. As soon as it was daylight O.C. Detche (detachment) Poona Horse inspected the trenches in 3 order to ascertain what was in the sap called for a volunteer to enter and proceed along towards the enemy’s lines and enter into the sap. He returned and reported that the enemy had erected a sand bag traverse about 30 yards from the trenches at a point where the sap makes its first bend and that a man with an rifle was at a loop hole. At 8 a.m. the enemy commenced throwing bombs into our trenches from their side of this loop holed traverse. This continued all day and caused several casualties. Early on the morning of the 24th Lt de Pass accompanied by Sowar Fateh Khan and Firman Shah entered the enemy’s sap and proceeding along it Lt de Pass placed a charge of gun cotton in the enemy’s loop hole and fired the charge completely demolishing the enemy’s traverse and narrowing off the bend sufficiently to expose from some 30 yards, the sap to our rifle fire. In doing this enemy threw a bomb at de Pass’s party which fortunately missed and exploded behind them. This action of Lt de Pass stopped all bomb throwing by the enemy during the 24th inst. Effect can better be gauged by the fact that there was only 1 casualty that day compared with 6 the day before and 9 the next day when under cover of darkness night of 24/25 enemy replaced their loop holed sandbag traverse. The same day Lt de Pass accompanied by a trooper (Private Cook) of 7 D.G. went out in broad daylight and brought in a sepoy of the 58th Rifles who as lying wounded in rear of our trenches about 200 yards distance. Lt de Pass did not ask permission to do this and did it on his own initiative when paying a visit to 7th D.G defences. Lt de Pass again volunteered to enter the enemy’s sap and blow up the traverse but permission as refused. About 3 p.m. 26th the bomb throwing by the enemy became worse and Lt de Pass went to the head of the sap to supervise repairs to our defences. He endeavoured to shoot the enemy’s sniper though a loop hole and in doing so got shot himself through the head. I consider that Lt de Pass conduct throughout was most intrepid and that his actions were a magnificent example to the men of the detachment’. ‘Capt. Grimshaw, Comding. D Sqd. Poona Horse’ Captain Grimshaw also brought to the attention of the Brigade Major the gallant conduct of the troopers who accompanied de Pass and other Indian troopers for their actions at Festubert in a separate report. He also wrote letters to Lt de Pass’s parents and fiancée. On the 24th November 1914* Lieutenant de Pass was killed in action aged 27 and for his conspicuous gallantry on that day he was awarded the Victoria Cross. London Gazette, 18th February 1915. “Frank Alexander de Pass, Lieutenant, late 34th Poona Horse. Date of Act of Bravery 24th November 1914. For conspicuous bravery near Festubert on 24th November 1914 in entering a German sap and destroying a traverse in the face of the enemy’s bombers and for subsequently rescuing under heavy fire, a wounded man who was lying exposed in the open. 4 Lieutenant de Pass lost his life on this day in a second attempt to capture the aforementioned sap, which had been re-occupied by the enemy.” Lieutenant de Pass was buried in Bethune Cemetery by his comrades in the late afternoon of 7th December 1914 in pouring rain. He now lies in Bethune Town Cemetery, Plot 1, Row A, Grave No.24. The War Dairy entry for the 21st February 1915 records: ‘The London Gazette contained the name of Lt. F.A. de Pass granted the Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery near Festubert on 24th November’. There was no formal presentation of the Victoria Cross to Frank de Pass’s father who through ill-health was unable to attend an investiture. The Victoria Cross was sent to him by post. The Victoria Cross medal group of Lieutenant F.A. de Pass is in the possession of the National Army Museum. He is commemorated on the Bevis Marks Synagogue War Memorial in the City of London and on the Rugby School War Memorial *Due perhaps to the ‘fog of war’ the date of Lieutenant de Pass’s death is given by the CWGC as the 25th November; the London Gazette citation has the 24th November; Captain Grimshaw’s report in the War Dairy and his own personal diary is the 26th November. +++ 5 Lieutenant William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse V.C. ~ Royal Flying Corps William Barnard Rhodes-Moorhouse was born in London on the 26th September 1887 the son of Edward and Mary Moorhouse. He was educated at a preparatory school, Harrow and Trinity College Cambridge.

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