THE UNTOLD FASCINATING AND TRUE STORY OF PRIVATE WILLIAM TONGS DCM
FROM INDEPENDANT RESEARCH OF INFORMATION FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR DIARIES OF THE 2ND BATTALION SCOTTISH RIFLES, UNDERTAKEN BY THE SOUTH LANARKSHIRE MUSEUM, WHO ARE THE TRUSTEES OF THE 2ND BATTALION'S WAR DIARIES
An unsung story of a War Hero in 1915,
CAN YOU HELP PTE. WILLIAM TONGS DCM, OBTAIN HIS JUSTIFIABLE AWARD OF THE VICTORIA CROSS? SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM TO ACCESS
UK WAR GRAVES COMMISSION (yourwebsitespace.com)
THE WEBSITE IS ALWAYS BEING UPDATED
ANOTHER PAGE WILL BE ADDED IN THE STORY OF TEDDY SHEEAN A TASMANIAN SAILOR WHO RECEIVED A POSTHUMOUS VICTORIA CROSS 87 YEARS AFTER THE EVENT
AWARDED BY QUEEN ELISABETH II BEFORE SHE DIED.
ABOUT THE BATTLE AT NEUVE CHAPPELLE
THE BATTLE OF NEUVE CHAPELLE The battle of Neuve Chapelle was the first British-initiated offensive of the war and was prompted by French doubts about British commitment to the conflict. Following a massive but short bombardment, General Haig's 1st Army attacked the village of Neuve Chapelle which was taken on the first day. However, von Falkenhayn's rapid movement of reserves and a British shortage of ammunition prevented a breakthrough. Nevertheless, the British had proved that they were truly in the war and from then onwards the destructive artillery barrage became standard practice for the battles to come. British casualties were about 13,000, the German 14,000. The battlefield tour takes two and a half hours, begins in Bethune, and visits the Portuguese cemetery and memorial, the Indian memorial, the le Touret memorial and follows the actions at Layes bridge and the Moated Grange.
we are unable to file a Government Petition to award Private W. Tongs the Victoria Cross until we have removed the 1919 MOD Order, preventing any medals being awarded posthumously after 1919.
Thank you for looking at this website.We have only until early November 11th 2024 to remove the MOD Order made in 1919. In time for Armistice 2024
For W. Tongs DCM 9786 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles. We have been 15 years endeavouring to right a wrong, where Private Tongs is unable to.
THE TRUE STORY OF THIS BRAVE GUERNSEY MAN AND REMEMBRING PRIVATE W. TONGS DCM AND THE UNSUNG HEROES OF WORLD WAR 1 AT A DECIDING BATTLE THAT KILLED THOUSANDS OF ALLIED SOLDIERS
A SHORT REVIEW OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES SURROUND THE ACTIONS OF PTE. W. TONGS DCM ON THE 10th AND 12th of MARCH 1915.
Finally on the 12th of May 1915, despite being wounded he carried on until he sustained major body and head injuries, as stated by the nurse in a personal letter to my grandfather.
as seen below:
In short, Private William Tongs of the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles on March 10th. March 12th, and May 9th, 1915. He undertook 9 acts of valour, each act deserved the award of the Victoria Cross. On the 10th of March, he silenced a German Machine Gun, that was doing much damage, thereby saving many lives. On the 12th of March, he went out under heavy fire and retrieved 7 men of the Royal Irish Regiment, brought them back to safety, and on the 9th act of bravery, he was mortally wounded on the 9th of May 1915 and died on the 12th of May. His commanding officer said: -"There was no more gallant officer or man in the battalion than your son; He earned his D.C.M. on 10th March for conspicuous bravery both in the handling of a machine gun, and for going out under very heavy fire from the enemy and helping in seven wounded men. He died from wounds received in action on the 9th May. On this occasion his gallantry was equally conspicuous in the manner he worked his machine gun. He served his country nobly and died a hero’s death." It will be noticed that no award was made for the second and third plucky incidents in the career of this noble Guernsey man. His commanding officer was injured on both days when these deeds were undertaken and removed to the hospital. It is highly possible that he was the bravest man of the Regiment. And as stated 9 months later in a letter from Major G.C. Campbell to my grandfather.
Although Private Tongs was buried with the insignia of the Victoria Cross next to his name, he only received the Distinguished Conduct Medal. And due to the hectic, chaotic, and confusing time, William Tongs fell through the bureaucratic gap. He was never issued with the Victoria Cross. In this website, I hope to give a full picture of those critical days, as described by a Major Oakley, who replaced Major G. C. Campbell, who was injured twice on the 10th of March and the 12th of March, Major Oakley replaced Major Campbell a week or more later. The records (War Diaries) were kept by the Regiment, and I found them at the Curators at The Southern Lanarkshire Museum. See Page Museum. For the transcript of those two critical days in March 1915.
Also, note at the time of the 1914-18 war, the DCM was 7th in precedence from the Victoria Cross!
THE PETITION HAS ALSO BEEN SIGNED BY BY BRIGADIER GENERAL TWEEDIE BROWN RETD. & THE ROYAL GUERNSEY BRANCH OF THE BRITISH LEGION TO SUPPORT THIS PETITION
We can only count signatures on the petition.parliament.uk website, because only UK citizens and residents are eligible to sign parliamentary e-petitions, and we are only able to ensure that people signing petitions via our website are eligible to do so.
THE FIRST WORD WAR THE BATTLE OF NEUVE CHAPPELLE 1915
Private William Tongs DCM
2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles
9786 Private William Tongs, undertook 9 acts of bravery on the 10th of March and 12th of March, 1915. He was mortally wounded on the 9th act of bravery on the 9th of May and died on the 13th of May, 1915, and was buried at Merville Military Cemetery, France. On The UK War Graves Commission's burial records, the insignia next to his name was the Victoria Cross. See Page War Graves Commission, on this site. He never received it and through a number of unforeseen circumstances and his Commanding Officer who was injured on both days that Pvt. Tongs undertook 8 acts of bravery, he was mortally wounded on the last act of bravery on the 9th of May 1915 and fell through a bureaucratic gap, the purpose of this Petition is to revoke a Military Order in 1919 stopping any further medals from being issued posthumously in the First World War. Click below to see the letters from Maj. Campbell to Pte Tong's father in December 1915.
http://www.greatwarci.net/honour/guernsey/database/tongs-w-merville.htm
Major G. C. Campbell
2nd in Command
At the commencement of the battle, Major Carter-Campbell was second in command of the Battalion. The Commanding Officer of 2nd Scottish Rifles was Lieutenant-Colonel W. M. Bliss, who was killed in the early stages of the attack on 10th March, at which point Major Carter-Campbell assumed command. Major Carter-Campbell was wounded later that day but remained in command of the Battalion. He was wounded a second time in the afternoon of 12th March, at which point he relinquished command and retired to the Regimental Aid Post. Command of the battalion devolved to Second-Lieutenant Somervail, the only officer of the battalion not killed or wounded (other than the Quartermaster and Medical Officer), such were the enormous casualties suffered by the battalion.
Merville Cemetry in France
• 2022•
Copyright and all rights reserved. Evidence provided by The South Lanarkshire Museum, Curators of the 2nd Battalion Scottish Rifles
and The Guernsey Star 13th December 1915
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