Ross Anderson Tollerton was born in Hurlford, Ayrshire on 6 May 1890, the son of a police officer. The family moved to Irvine, Ayrshire in 1901, the town that is most associated with him. Ross joined the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders in 1905 and served in South Africa and India. At the age of 22 he left the army and worked at the Irvine Shipyard. He remained a reserve so that when war broke out in 1914 he was back with the 1st Battalion QO Cameron Highlanders.
The BEF came under heavy fire at the battle of the Aisne and the Camerons lost 600 men during the morning of 14 Sep 1914. Tollerton saw his officer, Lt Matheson, badly wounded in full view of the German gunners. Without regard for his own safety, he rushed out and carried the officer to a more protected area and, as he was wounded in the head and hand, returned to his unit. But the Camerons were ordered to retreat, so Tollerton decided to stay behind. He rejoined the officer and stayed with him for three days, with only water to sustain them, until they were finally rescued.
He was Gazetted for the Victoria Cross on 19 April 1915. One month later, on 18 May 1915 he was presented with his medal by King George V at a ceremony at Glasgow Green. He was promoted to sergeant and returned to the Western Front for the rest of the war. After the war he worked as a janitor at Bank Street School, Irvine. A war memorial to the 238 men of Irvine killed in WW1, was built in the town and Ross Tollerton VC was invited to lay the first wreath. He suffered bad health after the war and died of stomach cancer on 7 May 1931. He was buried in Knadgerhill Cemetery, Irvine, Ayrshire.
