Category: Salonika Centenary

Northern Greece, 22/23 October 1916

In a … raid on the night of 22/23 October 1916, 300 men of the 11th Welsh raided an enemy strongpoint known as The Dorsale, near Machukovo. the Battalion had never been in action before and gave a very good account of itself, destroying a machine-gun emplacement and bringing back eighteen prisoners. During the raid, Pte Hubert [‘Stokey’] William Lewis was wounded three times but refused to retire from the enemy trenches. he went on to capture three Germans and during the withdrawal brought in the wounded 2/Lt Turner from No Man’s Land. For his bravery and devotion to duty, Lewis was awarded the first Victoria Cross of the Salonika Campaign.

From ‘Under the Devil’s Eye’ by Wakefield & Moody (Sutton Publishing, 2004 p132). Continue reading “Centenary of the first Salonika Victoria Cross”