serviceyears branch death_date death_place birth_place allegiance honorific_suffix battles birth_date placeofburial rank image article_title name
1909-1930 british army 15 august 1958 kensington , london ladywell , birmingham united kingdom vc , mc world war i 30 november 1888 west london crematorium , kensal green cemetery , london major herbert james vc.jpg herbert james
 herbert james
herbert james

major herbert james -lrb- 30 november 1888 -- 15 august 1958 -rrb- was an english recipient of the victoria cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to british and commonwealth forces .
james was 26 years old and a second lieutenant in the 4th battalion , the worcestershire regiment , british army during the first world war when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the vc .
on 28 june 1915 in the southern zone of gallipoli , when the advance of part of the regiment had been checked , second-lieutenant james , from a neighbouring unit , gathered together a body of men and led them forward under heavy fire .
he then returned , organised a second party and again advanced , putting fresh life into the attack .
on 3 july he headed a party of bomb throwers up a turkish communication trench and when all his party had been killed or wounded , he remained alone , under murderous fire and kept back the enemy until a barrier had been built behind him and the trench secured .
he later achieved the rank of major .
his medals are on display at the maryborough military and colonial museum in maryborough , queensland , australia .
