First Victorian Cross medals Awarded in WW1

On the morning of 23 August 1914, during the Battle of Mons, the British Expeditionary Force faced the full force of the German advance along the Mons–Condé Canal. At Nimy Bridge, the 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, were ordered to hold their position and delay the enemy, buying precious time for the rest of the force to withdraw. Among them was Lieutenant Maurice Dease, commanding a machine-gun section. From the opening moments of the battle, the bridge came under intense rifle and artillery fire. Dease, refusing to take cover, remained at his gun, directing its fire and encouraging his men despite being struck repeatedly. Even as wounds mounted, he continued to operate the weapon until he was no longer able to stand, ensuring the bridge was defended to the last possible moment.

When Dease was finally incapacitated, Private Sidney Godley volunteered to take over the machine gun, knowing that the position was doomed to be overrun. Under constant fire and with shells bursting around him, he kept the gun in action for two hours, holding the enemy back and preventing them from crossing. Wounded himself, Godley stayed at the post until ordered to withdraw, at which point he dismantled the weapon to prevent its capture. He was taken prisoner by advancing German troops and would spend the rest of the war in captivity. The courage of both men at Nimy Bridge not only allowed a successful British retreat but also set an enduring example of selflessness and determination. For their actions, Maurice Dease, posthumously, and Sidney Godley became the first recipients of the Victoria Cross in the Great War.