Lance-Corporal Wilfred Fuller VC


For most conspicuous bravery at Neuve Chapelle on the 12 Mar 1915. Seeing a party of the enemy endeavouring to escape along a communication trench, he ran towards them and killed the leading man with a bomb; the remainder, nearly 50 of them, finding no means of evading his bombs, surrendered to him. Lance-Corporal Fuller was alone at the time. Lance-Corporal Wilfred Dolby Fuller was born at East Kirby, Greasley, Notts on 28 July 1893. He worked at Mansfield colliery before enlisting at Nottingham in 1911. In Nov 1914 he went out to France with a draft of the Grenadier Guards and served with the 1st Battalion at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in Mar 1915. Fuller was one of a group of bombers under Captain W E Nicol which also included Private Barber. They set off in different directions and worked alone. Fuller's award was gazetted on 19 Apr and he received his VC from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 4 Jun 1915. On 30 Sep 1915 he was further presented with the Russian Cross of St George, also by the King at Hospital in Sheffield. In spite of his former sporting prowess, Corporal Fuller was discharged as medically unfit on 31 Oct 1916. He then joined the Somerset Police, but ill health forced him to resign. He died on 22 Nov 1947 and is buried at Christ Churchyard, Frome, Somerset.


The King and L/Cpl Fuller at Sheffield


Lance-Corporal Fuller VC of the Grenadier Guards was under treatment at no.3 Base Hospital, Sheffield when the King visited it. His majesty pinned on him the Russian Order of St George which had been conferred by the Tsar. Fuller's medals were auctioned at Sotheby's on 18 Dec 1991. The price in the catalogue was 12,000 to 15,000 pounds but they were not listed among the sold items.


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