Harry Weale (2nd October 1897 to 13th January 1959)

On the way to Llandudno for a long weekend I came off the A55 and passed through spectacular countryside near Dyserth. These small Welsh villages are hidden sparklers and a sign I passed broadcasting this was “a place of outstanding duty” was blooming accurate. I passed a stream and the water looked to clear I filled up a canister (not to drink - drinking water is kept separate.) Onward to a cemetery to search for a grave. I soon found it but was cut in two by Dyserth Road. The main entrance was too narrow to get the wing mirrors through so I parked outside and went in search of Harry’s grave. When searching for Victoria Cross graves I scan for red wreaths but I couldn't see any here. After about fifteen minutes I found the correct grave - no wreath on it but a pretty bouquet. Someone had not forgotten him.

Harry (he was really a Henry) was born in Wales and left school at 14 to earn money from sweating away at John Summers Steelworks. In those days it was a lad’s dream to serve the King and fight in World War One. You had to be 16 though so he lied about his age and was rejected. Oddly aged 15 he was accepted and joined the Royal Welch Fusiliers. Can you imagine a 15-year-old lad fighting with a gun? It happened and he was on battlefields by 16. By the time of his heroic act he was 20 years old and had ascended to the rank of Lance-Corporal.

On Monday 26th August 1918 Harry was in France fighting on the Great Western Front. He was heading a battalion in Bazentin-le-Grand in France (south of Arras) and trying to take land from the enemy. They couldn't advance though as the enemies machine-guns were near-constant. Anyone showing themselves was mowed down with splaying bullets. Harry was ordered to eliminate one of the guns. He used his Lewis gun and when it failed he sprinted alone across No Man’s Land and - expecting to be killed at any second - reached one of the machine-gun posts unscathed. He killed the crew (stabbing them with his bayonet or lobbing bombs?) His sudden attack spooked the remaining gunners and they fled. Getting rid of this main machine point meant the battalion could advance and invade other machine-gun positions and gain back territory.

News of Harry's feat made it back home and when he returned home to Shotton he received a hero’s welcome from crowds who had travelled many miles to see him. He received his VC medal from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 1st March 1919. His bosses at the steelworks were so impressed they presented Harry with a gold pocket watch.

Aged 21 he married Susie Harrison. She was from the coast at Rhyl and they moved there but despite being considered a hero circumstances for men returning from war were grim and he found himself on the scrapheap. He found a work with the council but the wages were crumbs (when his mother-in-law was ill and he was forced to sell the gold watch.) He and Susie went on to have three sons and a daughter. Many years later a former worker from the steel works tracked Harry down and returned the gold watch to him (the family still have it.)

Harry died at his son’s home in Rhyl aged of 64 and was buried with full military honours here where I’m stood at the bottom of the cemetery. His medals are with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers Museum in Caernarfon Castle.

I took a few photos in warm sunshine. A woman carrying flowers down the central path of cemetery temporarily stopped while I took a timed photo of me saluting by the grave then carried on without a word. I couldn’t be bothered explaining myself and let her considered me as weird. She’d gone by the time I did a hearty salute and returned to the motor home for some cheesy beans on toast.