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| Page revised: 15 January, 2008 |
Corporal James McPHIE VC |
| Born: | Edinburgh, Scotland - 18 December 1894 | 
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| Died: | Aubencheul-au-Bac, France - 14 October 1918 | ||
| Burial details: | Naves Communal Cemetery Extension, France, Plot II, Row E, Grave 4 | ||
| Corps service: | He joined the Territorial Force (TF) in 1914, and first saw service with the 416th (Edinburgh) Field Company in Egypt, before he and his company was sent to France in April 1916. | ||
| VC awarded: | VC on the Canal de le Sensée, near Aubencheul-au-Bac, France on 14 October 1918 (First World War 1914-18). | ||
| VC unit: | 416 (Edinburgh) Field Company | ||
| VC presented: | VC presented by King George V to Corporal McPhie's mother at Buckingham Palace on 3 April 1919. | ||
| VC citation: | For most conspicuous bravery on 14 October 1918, when with a party of sappers maintaining a cork float bridge across the Canal de la Sensee, near Aubencheul-au-Bac. The farther end of the bridge was under close machine-gunfire and within reach of hand grenades. When infantry, just before dawn, were crossing it, closing up resulted and the bridge began to sink and break. Accompanied by a sapper, he jumped into the water and endeavoured to hold the cork and timbers together, but this they failed to do. Corporal McPhie then swam back, and having reported the broken bridge, immediately started to collect material for repair. It was now daylight. Fully aware that the bridge was under close fire and that the far bank was almost entirely in the hands of the enemy, with the inspiring words, 'It is death or glory work which must be done for the sake of our patrol on the other side,' he led the way, axe in hand, on to the bridge, and was at once severely wounded, falling partly into the matea; and died after receiving several further wounds. It was due to the magnificent example set by Corporal McPhie that touch was maintained with the patrol on the enemy bank at a most critical period. (London Gazette: 31 January 1919) |
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| VC location: | Imperial War Museum | ||
| Source:
Additional material: SC Fenwick, FoREM Links to further reading:
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Royal Engineers Museum main site
