Church Wilne Rotary speaker meeting: Tim Coltman talk about W H Coltman VC WW1

William was born at Rangemore, a village on the outskirts of Burton-upon-Trent, Staffordshire, on 27th December 1891. He was the youngest of nine children and was baptised at All Saints Church, Rangemore He went on to work as a market gardener. He taught in the Sunday School in the village of Winshill and volunteered for the British Army in January 1915 and served in the 1st/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's).

He was only 5 foot 4 inches tall, as shown in this picture (right hand side of the photo).

His citation for the VC reads:

For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty. During the operations at Mannequin Hill, north-east of Sequehart, on the 3rd and 4th of Oct. 1918, L.-Corp. Coltman, a stretcher bearer, hearing that wounded had been left behind during a retirement, went forward alone in the face of fierce enfilade fire, found the casualties, dressed them and on three successive occasions, carried comrades on his back to safety, thus saving their lives. This very gallant NCO tended the wounded unceasingly for 48 hours.

Coltman was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 22nd May.

On his way home, he found out that there was a welcome home party at Burton train station for him, so he got off a stop earlier to ‘avoid the fuss’! For more info please visit the links.

William Harold Coltman VC DCM* MM* – victoriacrossonline.co.uk

Britain's Most Decorated Soldier in the First World War | The Western Front Association

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