Arthur Tisdall
Template:Use dmy dates Template:Use British English Template:Infobox military person Arthur Walderne St Clair Tisdall VC (21 July 1890 – 6 May 1915) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
LifeEdit
Tisdall was born in Bombay, British India in 1890, and after emigrating attended Bedford School from 1900 to 1909.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage" /> He went to university at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he rowed and attended the Officer Training Corps in his spare time.<ref name="CambridgeLife" /> He attained a double first in classics.<ref name="CambridgeLife">Template:Cite news</ref>
Tisdall joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve when he was 24 years old, at the outbreak of the First World War.<ref name="CambridgeLife" /> He enlisted as an Able Seaman at HMS President, the home of the London Division of the Royal Naval Reserve, but was soon promoted to Sub Lieutenant.<ref name="CambridgeLife" />
On the first day of the Gallipoli landings (25 April 1915) at V Beach, Gallipoli, during the landing from SS River Clyde, Tisdall heard wounded men on the beach calling for help.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage" /> The men were under heavy machine gun fire from entrenched Turkish forces.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage" /> He jumped into the water, and pushing a boat in front of him, went to their rescue. He found, however, that he could not manage alone, but managed to enlist the help of first one, and then three more naval personnel.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage" /> They made five trips from the ship to the shore and were responsible for rescuing several wounded men under heavy and accurate fire, until darkness forced them to stop.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage" /><ref name="VC">Template:London Gazette</ref>
He was mortally wounded by a sniper during the Second Battle of Krithia at Achi Baba on 6 May 1915, and was buried where he fell, but today has no known grave.<ref name="SymbolOfCourage">Template:Cite book</ref><ref name="CambridgeLife" /><ref name="CWGC">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
ReferencesEdit
BibliographyEdit
- Template:Cite book
- VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)
External linksEdit
- Burial location of Arthur Tisdall "Turkey"
- News Item "Arthur Tisdall's Victoria Cross sold privately"
- Tisdall Memorial HMS President VC and other decorations still on display at HMS President RNR London HQ (2006)