RUGBY’S UNSUNG VC WINNERS
TWO of rugby’s lesser known Victoria Cross heroes – Sergeant James Turnbull from Glasgow and Private William McFadzean from Belfast – were among the 19,240 British troops killed on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
A durable forward with Cathra Queens Park, Turnbull was a fitness fanatic and first team regular while also starring in the club’s cricket team, being noted for his strong arm.
This particularly came into play when serving in the 17th Battalion, The Highland light Infantry. Turnbull could throw a grenade further and more accurately than anybody in the battalion and reportedly at least two soldiers were deputed to carry around a supply of grenades for Turnbull to throw during hostilities.It appears that it was while hurling grenades at the enemy that he finally perished on the Somme at the Leipzig Salient near Authuille.
The citation for his VC, recorded in The London Gazette on November 24, reads: “For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty, when, having with his party captured a post apparently of great importance to the enemy, he was subjected to severe counter-attacks, which were continuous throughout the day.
“Almost, single-handed, he maintained his position, and displayed the highest degree of valour and skill in the performance of his duties. Later in the day this very gallant soldier was killed whilst bombing a counter-attack from the parados of our trench.”
The strapping McFadzean played for Collegians in Belfast and was considered to have a bright rugby future. On joining the Ulster Rifles his strength was also put to use as a bomber, carrying and using the grenades on the front line. His VC came at 6.30am in the trenches just before hostilities began with the citation describing an extraordinary scene.
“While in a concentration trench and opening a box of bombs for distribution prior to an attack, the box slipped down into the trench, which was crowded with men, and two of the safety pins fell out. Private McFadzean, instantly realising the danger to his comrades, with heroic courage threw himself on the top of the bombs. The bombs exploded blowing him to pieces, but only one other man was injured. He well knew his danger, being himself a bomber, but without a moment’s hesitation he gave his life for his comrades.”
A third and often forgotten ‘Rugby’ VC was for stalwart Rosslyn Park clubman Reginald Hayward, originally from South Africa, who moved to England and served as a Lieutenant Colonel with the Royal Wiltshires. His award was not posthumous, indeed he lived in rude health until 1978.
Again to quote from the VC citation: “On March 21-22 1918, near Fremicourt, while commanding a company, Hayward displayed almost superhuman powers of endurance in spite of the fact that he was buried, wounded in the head and rendered deaf on the first day of operations and had his arm shattered two days later. He refused to leave his men even though he received a third serious injury to his head until he collapsed from sheer exhaustion. Throughout this period the enemy were attacking the company’s front without cessation, but Captain Hayward continued to move, in the open, from one trench to another with absolute disregard for his own safety.”