John Ripley VC

John Ripley was born in Keith, Banffshire on 30th August 1867

When the War broke out in 1914, Ripley enlisted in the 1st Battalion, The Black Watch, at the age of 47.

In 1915, during the Battle Of Aubers Ripley's outstanding actions were recognised by the award of a Victoria Cross.

The Long, Long Trail website provides a very detail account of the disaster that was The Battle of Aubers, with thousands of British casualties which gained nothing.

The website says that at 3.57pm on the 9th, that companies of the 1st Battalion of the Black Watch went over the top and having chorused nomads land and the German first trenches, a small group managed to reach then German second position. Presumably this included Corporal Ripley, as his citation records his group of 8 or 9 men reaching the final objective.

sources

Keith & District Heritage Group website (online)

The London Gazette supplement 29th June 1915 page 6270 (online)

The Long, Long Trail website (online)

Version 1.0

The citation was published in the The London Gazette on the 29th June 1915

Issue 29210

No 2832 Corporal John Ripley, 1st Battalion, The Black watch (Royal Highlanders)

"For most conspicuous bravery at Rue du Bois on 9th May, 1915.

when leading his section on the right of the right platoon in the assault, he was the first man of the battalion to ascend the enemy's parapet, and from there he directed those following him to the gaps in the German wire entanglements. He then led his section through a breach in the parapet to a second line of trench, which had previously been decided upon as the final objective in this part of the line.

In that position Corporal Ripley, with seven or eight men, establishing himself, blocking both flanks and arranging a fire position, which he continued to defend until all his men had fallen and he himself had been badly wounded in the head."