More than 200 soldiers will help mark the centenary of two local men receiving the Victoria Cross with a major parade this weekend.
The 3rd Battalion The Rifles will be marching through Dewsbury at 11am on Saturday.
Before they march, the troops will pause while officials from the council and army unveil the two commemorative stones in the town’s peace garden. The stones mark 100 years since Sgt John William Ormsby and Pte Horace Waller received their VCs for exceptional bravery in April 1917 during WW1.
The laying of commemorative stones is part of the Government’s First World War Centenary campaigns. In total, 469 stones will be laid in communities in England, Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland. To commemorate VC recipients born overseas, 145 stones will be laid in The National Memorial Arboretum.
The 3rd Battalion The Rifles was formed only 10 years ago as infantry battalions merged, but it has maintained the tradition of recruiting in the Dewsbury area. The Mayor of Kirklees, Clr Jim Dodds, will take the salute outside Dewsbury Town Hall before The Band and Bugles of the Rifles lead the parade from Dewsbury Town Hall.
Also on parade will be members of D (Rifles) Company who will form part of new The 8th Battalion The Rifles that came into being at the start of this month as part of Army 2020 (Refined). Based in locations in the north Midlands, Yorkshire and the North East, 8 Rifles will be recruiting a company of Riflemen within South and West Yorkshire in the very near future.
Clr Dodds said: “The parade is a fitting time to mark the brave contribution of two local men 100 years ago. The Victoria Cross, is the highest and most prestigious military decoration awarded for valour ‘in the face of the enemy’ to those serving in British and Commonwealth armed forces.”
Former Batley Grammar School pupil Horace Waller was the son of John Edward and Esther Waller, of Dewsbury.
As a 20-year-old private in the 10th Service Battalion, The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Pte Waller was awarded a Victoria Cross for his valiant actions on April 10, 1917 south of Heninel, France.
According to The London Gazette the award was made: “For most conspicuous bravery with a bombing section forming a block in the enemy line. A very violent counter-attack was made by the enemy on this post and although five of the garrison were killed Pte Waller continued for more than an hour to throw bombs and finally repulsed the attack.
“In the evening the enemy again counter-attacked the post and all the garrison became casualties, except Pte Waller, who, although wounded later, continued to throw bombs for another half an hour until he was killed. Throughout these attacks he showed the utmost valour and it was due to his determination that the attacks on this important post were repulsed.”
Pte Waller is buried at Cojeul British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France.
Sgt Ormsby was born in Dewsbury on January 10, 1881, and was a career soldier, first serving in the Second Boer War.
He was 36 and a sergeant in the 2nd Battalion, The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, British Army during the First World War when he won the VC.
It was on April 14, 1917 at Fayet, France, that he showed immense bravery during a firefight.
A citation said: “Sergeant Ormsby, acting as company sergeant-major, showed complete indifference to the heavy machine-gun and rifle fire and set a fine example.
“After clearing a village he pushed on and drove out many snipers from localities further forward. When the only surviving officer was wounded he took command of the company and led them forward under heavy fire for 400 yards to a new position, holding it until relieved.”
His medal is on display at the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum in Doncaster. Sgt Ormsby died in 1952 and is buried in Dewsbury Cemetery.
