Editing Richard George Masters

{{other people|Richard Masters}}
{{for|the ship named Richard George Masters|HMS Halsham (M2633)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox military person
|name=Richard George Masters
|image= Richard George Masters VC.jpg
|image_size=150
|caption=
|birth_date={{Birth date|df=yes|1877|03|30}}
|death_date={{death date and age|df=yes|1963|04|04|1877|03|30}}
|birth_place=[[Birkdale, Southport|Birkdale]], [[Lancashire]], [[England]]
|death_place=[[Southport]], Lancashire
|placeofburial=[[St Cuthbert's Church, Churchtown|St Cuthbert's]] Churchyard, [[Churchtown, Merseyside]]
|nickname=
|allegiance={{UK}}
|branch=[[File:Flag of the British Army.svg|23px]] [[British Army]]
|serviceyears=
|rank=[[Private (rank)|Private]]
|unit=[[Royal Army Service Corps]]
|commands=
|battles=[[World War I]]
|awards=[[File:UK Victoria Cross ribbon bar.svg|30px]] [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[Croix de Guerre]] (France)
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
'''Richard George Masters''' [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (30 March 1877 &ndash; 4 April 1963)<ref name="Liverpool">{{cite web | url=http://liverpoolremembrance.weebly.com/local-vc-winners.html | title=Local VC Winners – Liverpool & Merseyside | accessdate=16 January 2013}}</ref> was an [[England|English]] recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for [[Courage|gallantry]] in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Details==
He was 41 years old, and a [[Private (rank)|Private]] in the [[Royal Army Service Corps]],<ref name="Army">{{cite web | url=http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/history/358.aspx | title=RLC Association History | accessdate=16 January 2013 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020165229/http://www.army.mod.uk/rlc/history/358.aspx | archivedate=20 October 2012 }}</ref> [[British Army]], attd. 141st Field Ambulance during the [[World War I|First World War]] when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 9 April 1918 near [[Béthune|Bethune]], [[France]], owing to an enemy attack, communications were cut off and the wounded could not be evacuated. The road was reported impassable but Private Masters volunteered to try to get through and after great difficulty succeeded, although he had to clear the road of all sorts of debris. He made journey after journey throughout the afternoon over a road which was being [[artillery shell|shelled]] and swept by [[machine-gun]] fire and once he was bombed by an aeroplane. The greater number of wounded (approximately 200 men) were evacuated by him as his was the only car which got through.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30675|supp=y |page=5556|date=7 May 1918 }}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette| issue=31340 |page=6085 |date=15 May 1919 }}</ref>

After his death in 1963 at the age of 86, he was buried at [[St Cuthbert's Church, Churchtown|St Cuthbert's parish church]] in Churchtown, Southport.

The [[Territorial Army (United Kingdom)|Territorial Army and Volunteer Reserve (TAVR)]] Centre 30 Pelham Drive, [[Bootle]], [[Liverpool]] is named after Private Masters, VC.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8031726.stm BBC NEWS | UK | England | Merseyside | Base naming honour for WWI hero<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> It was built to house what is now 238 SQN 156 TPT RLC(V) – 238 Squadron of 156 Transport Regiment [https://web.archive.org/web/20100917084559/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/RLC.htm Royal Logistic Corps] (Volunteers).  The RLC, formerly the [https://web.archive.org/web/20080118042251/http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/corps/RCT.htm Royal Corps of Transport/RCT], includes the Field Ambulance units which trace their history back through the [[Royal Army Service Corps]], the [[Royal Army Service Corps|Army Service Corps]] and beyond.
A troop of 96 Sqn RLC based at ATR Pirbright is also named after him.

In 1972, when the [[Royal Air Force]]'s trials vessel ''No.5012'' and former mineweeper [[HMS Halsham (M2633)|HMS ''Halsham'']], was transferred to the [[Royal Corps of Transport]] to continue operations for [[Royal Aircraft Establishment]], [[Farnborough Airport|Farnborough]], it was renamed ''Richard George Masters'' (later shortened to ''R G Masters''), until withdrawn from service in 1979.<ref>{{cite web |title=Halsham |url=https://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=55735 |website=Scottish Built Ships |publisher=Caledonian Maritime Research Trust |access-date=1 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240401210923/https://clydeships.co.uk/view.php?ref=55735 |archive-date=1 April 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==The medal==
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the New [[Royal Logistic Corps Museum]] '' RHQ The RLC, Building 204, Worthy Down Barracks, Winchester. SO21 2RG England)''. 2021 (signed KMB)

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book|first=Gerald|last=Gliddon|year=2013|orig-year=2004|title=Spring Offensive 1918|series=[[VCs of the First World War]]|publisher=[[The History Press]]|isbn=978-0-7524-8730-4}}

==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20041028142110/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/lancashi.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(grave in Lancashire )''

{{DEFAULTSORT:Masters, Richard George}}
[[Category:1877 births]]
[[Category:1963 deaths]]
[[Category:Burials in Merseyside]]
[[Category:People from Southport]]
[[Category:Royal Army Service Corps soldiers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)]]
[[Category:British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Merseyside]]