Sergeant’s VC for battlefield heroics
A soldier credited with killing 50 Germans during the Battle of Cambrai was recommended for Britain’s highest award for gallantry, the Observer reported.
Sgt John McAuley, whose parents lived in East Plean, was recommended for the Victoria Cross for his bravery in the field.
The Glasgow policeman and son of a miner won the Distinguished Conduct Medal for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty” on the opening day of the Battle of Ypres in 1916.
He was frequently mentioned in dispatches and his bravery led to three promotions.
In a letter to Sgt McAuley’s mother, his platoon commander CHH Robertson explained the circumstances which led to the VC recommendation.
It was during the fighting around Cambrai, a month earlier, and Sgt McAuley’s company had taken part in an operation which achieved its initial objective.
However, as they were moving further forward all the officers were hit.
When the one in charge of his unit was mortally wounded, Sgt McAuley carried him 500 yards to safety while under heavy fire from machine guns, snipers and shells.
Though knocked down twice by shells exploding nearby, Sgt McAuley pressed on and used the officer’s revolver to shoot two Germans who tried to stop them.
Mr Robertson added: “Sgt McAuley then went back and took charge of the whole company – what was left of them – cheered on the men, walking up and down paying no attention to the bullets flying around him.
“Noticing a counter attack about to take place, he formed a defensive flank and picking up a machine gun carried it to a position from which he could best damage the oncoming Germans.
“The gun did not work, so he went back and, seizing a Lewis Gun, carried that out and killed about 50 oncoming Germans.
“The whole of the time he was the object of the admiration of everyone near and all took courage from him.”
Sgt McAuley was the first Plean man to gain the DCM and the Observer describes him as a “wrestler of some repute having gained several prizes”.
The events for which he was recommended – and subsequently awarded the VC – took place on November 27, 1917.
Last month, in Kinghorn, Fife, to which he was also linked, a service was held in the parish church there to mark the centenary of his heroic action.
Around 40 descendants from as far away as United States and Australia attended and a VC centenary stone bearing his name and medal was unveiled.
Sgt McAuley, one of 700 Glasgow police officers who volunteered for military service at the start of the war, was the only Scottish policeman to win the VC.
After the war he returned to policing Glasgow, rising to the rank of inspector.
He retired in 1946 and died in 1956, aged 67.