Cpl. James Upton, V.C., 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters

On 1st July 1915 an interview with the mother of James Upton, V.C., appeared in the local press.

“CORPORAL UPTON V.C.

“A NATIVE OF LINCOLN.

“LIVED MANY YEARS IN BULWELL.

“Corporal James Upton, of the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters, one of the latest winners the V.C., is a native of Lincoln, but lived in Turton-street, Bulwell. While at Bulwell, where his mother still resides, he was a well-known member of one or two local clubs, and played fairly regularly.

“A description of the stirring deed which has gained the most coveted military distinction for Corporal Upton appeared in yesterday's Post, but it is worth repeating that the honour was awarded him for most conspicuous bravery near Rougesbanks [sic] on May 9th. During the whole of this day Corporal Upton, so runs the official despatch, displayed the greatest courage in rescuing the wounded whilst exposed to very heavy rifle and artillery fire, going close to the enemy’s parapet regardless of his own personal safety. One wounded man was killed by a shell while this non-commissioned officer was carrying him. When Corporal Upton was not actually carrying in the wounded he was engaged in bandaging and dressing the serious cases in front of our parapet exposed to the enemy’s fire.

“Coming with the 1st Battalion from India last autumn, when his term of service was on the point of expiring, he went at once to the front, and has had periodical spells in the trenches ever since the end of November.

“Upton, who is unmarried, is 26 years of age, and his height is barely 5ft. 5in. He has been a regular member of the battalion football team.

“It's through God’s Providence that I have been spared,” said Corporal James Upton, V.C., of the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters, in a letter to his sister at Lincoln, and when a Post representative to-day sought out the hero’s mother at her residence, 80, Newmarket-road, Bulwell, the old lady “And may God continue to guard him through this awful struggle.”

“The gallant corporal was born Lincoln nearly 27 years ago, and the age of 16 travelled with his mother to Bulwell, where he sought for and obtained employment at the Bestwood Colliery, subsequently, as he was a very keen footballer, joining the eleven attached to the works. He remained there, roughly, two years, being also actively engaged with the Bulwell Forest Villa F.C., before the military taint in hia blood - his father belonged to the Lincoln Regiment - gained the upper hand, and he enlisted in Nottingham in the Notts, and Derby Regiment. For six months he remained at Derby, being later transferred to Ireland, and finally India, from whence, after five years’ service, he returned home to England, remaining only two days in this country prior to setting out for France. "His leave,” remarked Mrs. Upton, ”was so very short that he never got any further than Lincoln, and I have not seen him since he went to the front. All I have had has been a number of hastily written postcards acquainting me with the fact that he was in good health and spirits, although right in the thick the fight.”

“Of his wonderful acts of bravery which have so justly earned the most highly prized award in the ranks of the British army she had obtained nothing beyond such brief extracts as were contained in a letter from her daughter at Lincoln. Mrs. Upton was quite naturally filled with pride "Jimmy’s” — as she called him — action, but she had very little to say about his career, contenting herself with the statement that he had always been a brave lad who never feared anything.

“She laid stress on her widowhood, her husband having died some years ago, and said that of her six sons three were in the ranks, one of them, Walter Upton [1], being a member of the Robin Hoods.” [2]

[1] Pte. Walter Upton landed in France with the Robin Hood Rifles on 28th February 1915. He survived the war, being disembodied on 7th January 1919.

[2] 'Nottingham Evening Post', 1st July 1915.