1/4TH   BATTALION
Alexandra,  Princess   of   Wales's   Own
YORKSHIRE   REGIMENT



A/Capt David Philip Hirsch. V.C.
Plaque in Leeds City Centre commemorating local men who were awarded the Victoria Cross.
[The photograph of the Plaque is shown by kind permission of owner, Allan McBain.]

The third name down in the left column is that of A/Capt David Philip Hirsch.
Although the plaque shows the West Yorks Regt (P.W.O.) he was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving with the 1/4th Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment and was the only member of the Battalion ever to win this medal.
He was a native of Leeds, having been born there on the 28th December 1896. His parents, Harry and Edith lived at Westwood Grove in the city. He attended Willeston School, Nantwich and there won an open exhibition to Worcester College, Oxford where he read History. From University, with the nation at War, he joined the Leeds University Officer Training Corps in December 1914. On the 7th of April 1915 he was commissioned into the 11th Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. There seems to have been a general policy of moving Officers from familiar surroundings and on the 22nd September 1915 he was transferred as a Second Lieutenant to the 4th Yorks Battalion. He attended a machine gun course in the UK and went out to France in April 1916. What he was involved in after that can be read in the relevant website pages. He was wounded at Eaucourt L'Abbaye when the Battalion was fighting in the Somme area. On the 23rd Sept 1916 he was promoted to Lieutenant, aged just 19. On the 16th November 1916 he was made Acting Captain and took command the Battalion's "Y" Company.
He was killed on the 23rd April 1917 and for his gallantry this day was awarded the V.C.
These events are described on Page 40.




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