THERE ARE EXTENSIVE EFFORTS BEING MADE TO LOCATE THE VICTORIA CROSS AWARDED TO LIEUTENANT COLONEL BERTRAM BEST-DUNKLEY, 5TH BATTALION, LANCASHIRE FUSILIERS. |
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11 October 2018 |
![]() | Medal entitlement of Lieutenant Colonel Bertram Best-Dunkley, 5th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers
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2018 marks the 100 year anniversary since the end of the First World War. To commemorate this milestone, The Fusilier Museum, Bury, Lancashire, is hosting a special exhibition - 18 for 18 which will see all eighteen Victoria Crosses awarded to the Lancashire Fusiliers during WWI united for the first time. The period of the exhibition is from the 6th October to 13th December 2018. Seventeen Lancashire Fusiliers Victoria Cross groups are included in the exhibition sourced from various locations, the museum's own VC collection; several from the Lord Ashcroft VC Collection; the Irish Guards RHQ, and a number loaned privately. The missing Victoria Cross group from the exhibition is the VC awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Bertram Best-Dunkley, 5th Battalion. The last sighting of the Best-Dunkley VC group was when it was sold by the South African auction house Alex Kaplan on 1st November 1982 for R15,000. Although extensive publicity has been generated around the world the whereabouts of the Best-Dunkley VC has not been discovered. For the award of the Victoria Cross [ London Gazette, 6 September 1917 ], Wieltje, Belgium, 31 July 1917, Captain ( T / Lieutenant Colonel ) Bertram Best-Dunkley, 2nd / 5th Bn, Lancashire Fusiliers.
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of his battalion ( Wieltje, Flanders ), the leading waves of which, during an attack, became disorganised by reason of rifle and machine gun fire at close range from positions which were believed to be in our hands. Lieutenant Colonel Best-Dunkley dashed forward, rallied his leading waves, and personally led them to the assault of these positions, which, despite heavy losses, were carried. He continued to lead his battalion until all their objectives had been gained.
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Iain Stewart, 11 October 2018