Captain Anketell Moutray Read VC (27 October 1884 – 25 September 1915) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

officer and an

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recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

(VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and

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forces.

Background

He was the son of Col. J. Moutray Read of

Cheltenham Cheltenham () is a historic spa town and borough adjacent to the Cotswolds in Gloucestershire, England. Cheltenham became known as a health and holiday spa town resort following the discovery of mineral springs in 1716, and claims to be the mo ...

and Mrs. E. Moutray Read of St. Leonards on Sea, East Sussex. He was born in October 1884 and educated at Glengarth preparatory school, Cheltenham, and at the

United Services College The United Services College was an English boys' public school for the sons of military officers and civil servants, located from 1874 at Westward Ho! near Bideford in North Devon, from 1904 at Harpenden, Hertfordshire, and finally at Windsor ...

Westward Ho! Westward Ho! is a seaside village near Bideford in Devon, England. The A39 road provides access from the towns of Barnstaple, Bideford, and Bude. It lies at the south end of Northam Burrows and faces westward into Bideford Bay, opposite Sau ...

, and passed directly into Sandhurst in 1901. Gazetted to the

Gloucestershire Regiment The Gloucestershire Regiment, commonly referred to as the Glosters, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 until 1994. It traced its origins to Colonel Gibson's Regiment of Foot, which was raised in 1694 and later became the ...

, he served with them three years in India. He transferred to the Seventh Hariana Lancers, and exchanged to the Northants. Regiment in 1911. He joined the

Royal Flying Corps The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the air arm of the British Army before and during the First World War until it merged with the Royal Naval Air Service on 1 April 1918 to form the Royal Air Force. During the early part of the war, the RFC sup ...

in 1912, and went with them to France with the first Expeditionary Force in August 1914. He fought at Mons and in the retreat to the Marne. He was attached to the 9th Lancers, and while with them was severely wounded during the fighting on the

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

in September 1914. Captain Moutray Read was well known as an athlete and won the heavyweight championship (boxing) of India eight times, and the middle-weight twice. He also won the Army and Navy heavyweight championship at Aldershot and Portsmouth three times, an unequalled record. During one match, an opponent recalls wishing to throw in the towel against him, citing his "devastating jab". As a result, Capt. Moutray Read earned the nickname of "Widowmaker". Mrs. Moutray Read received news of her son's death while living at 3 Wentworth Place,

Wicklow Wicklow ( ; , meaning 'church of the toothless one'; ) is the county town of County Wicklow in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is located on the east of Ireland, south of Dublin. According to the 2022 census of Ireland, 2022 census, it had ...

, Co. Wicklow, also a British Army Field Hospital Supplies Depot. Captain Moutray Read is listed on a brass commemorative plaque along with other local men at Wicklow Parish Church, Wicklow, Co. Wicklow. He is also commemorated by a plaque on the wall of the Church of St. Michael and All Angels in Bampton, where his father owned Castle Grove, a fine house on the edge of this small town in

Devonshire Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the wes ...

. Anketell's niece, Miss Henrietta Desirée Moutray Read, lived at Castle Grove marrying Sir Christopher William Gerald Henry Codrington in 1969. Anketell's elder sister Rose Moutray Read was an author and horticulturist.

Details

He was 30 years old, and a

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader or highest rank officer of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police depa ...

in the 1st Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment,

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 25 September 1915 near

Hulluch Hulluch () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France about north of Lens. Population See also *Communes of the Pas-de-Calais department The following is a list of the 887 communes of the Pas ...

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, Captain Moutray Read, although partially gassed, went out several times in order to rally parties of different units which were disorganised and retiring. He led them back into the firing line and regardless of danger to himself, moved about under withering fire, encouraging them, but he was mortally wounded while carrying out this gallant work. He had shown conspicuous bravery on other occasions, particularly on the night of 29/30 July when he carried out of action an officer who was mortally wounded, under a hot fire of rifle and grenades.

Further information

Captain Moutray Read is buried in the Dud Corner Cemetery, Le Rutoire, near

Loos-en-Gohelle Loos-en-Gohelle (, ) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography It is a former coal mining town, three miles northwest of the centre of Lens. The two largest (184 m & 182 m) spo ...

, France, 2 miles NW of Lens, Plot VII, Row F, Grave 19.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is on loan to and displayed at the

Abington Park Abington Park, in the Abington district of Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, has lakes, aviaries, and a museum, as well as trees and grassy open spaces. Origins The park contains the ruins of the former village of Abington, the site of ...

Museum, Northampton, England.

References

Sources

*David Harvey (1999) ''

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a British historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took ...

'' *''

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the f ...

'' ('' This England'', 1997) *Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson (1999) '' VCs of the First World War – The Western Front 1915'' *''The Irish Times'' (4 October, p. 6, 27 November 1915) p. 7, and (11 December 1915) p. 24. *''The Wicklow News-Letter'' (9 October 1915) *''The London Gazette'' 29371, (16 November 1915) {{DEFAULTSORT:Moutray Read, Anketell 1884 births 1915 deaths Northamptonshire Regiment officers British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British military personnel killed in World War I British Army personnel of World War I Military personnel from Cheltenham Royal Flying Corps officers People educated at United Services College British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Gloucestershire Regiment officers