William Algernon Tapsell DCM (and bar), MM

One name that stood out on the display at the Abbey Wood Memorial Garden was William Algernon Tapsell. He had served and died during the First World War and had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) twice as well as the Military Medal (MM).

The former medal was established in 1854 and ranked just below the Victoria Cross (VC). It was awarded to NCOs and enlisted personnel for 'distinguished, gallant and good conduct in the field', and its equivalent for officers was the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). During the First World War, 24,620 DCMs were awarded, with 472 personnel receiving it twice, and nine being given the award three times.

The Military Medal was instituted in 1916, although retrospective awards for 1914 onwards were made. It was awarded to other ranks for 'acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire'. During the First World War, 115,589 Military Medals were awarded, with 5,796 personnel receiving it twice, 180 being given the award three times, and one person receiving it four times! The latter was Private Ernest Albert Corey, a stretcher bearer in the 55th Australian Infantry Battalion.

William Algernon Tapsell was born on 6th January 1893 and he was baptised at All Saints Church, Belvedere, on 9th April that year. His parents were Algernon Tapsell (a coachman) and Mary Jane Tapsell. They were living at 12, The Grove, Abbey Wood. In 1901 William was living at 2, Grove Road, Abbey Wood, and attending Plumstead High Street School (now Bannockburn School), having previously attended Knee Hill School, Abbey Wood.

William joined the Army underage (his birthday is recorded as being 11th January 1891 and his service number indicates that he was recruited in 1909) and served with the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. When war broke out in 1914, the battalion was in Bermuda. It returned to England on 3rd October 1914, and was deployed to France as part of the 25th Brigade, 8th Division, landing at Le Havre on 6th November 1914. The battalion took part in the Battle of Aubers Ridge in May 1915 and the Battle of the Somme in Autumn 1916.

By 1917 William was a Corporal serving with the 6th (Service) Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment, a Kitchener battalion that had been raised in Lincoln in August 1914. The battalion had taken part in the Gallipoli campaign as part of 33rd Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division before spending time in Egypt. It was deployed to France in July 1916 to the Somme and subsequently took part in the Battles of Fleurs-Courcelette and Thiepval. During 1917 the battalion took part in operations on the Ancre (January to March) and the Battles of Messines (June), Langemarck (August), Polygon Wood (September to October), Broodseinde (October), and Poelcapelle (October).

He was awarded the Military Medal by August 1917 as it appeared in the London Gazette on 21st August 1917. This was followed in September that year when he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 17th September twice for separate acts of gallantry.

The citation for the first award was as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in assisting to dig out nineteen men who had been buried in a dug-out by a gas shell. Finding it impossible, owing to darkness, to work in a gas helmet, at imminent risk of his life he removed his own, and by his efforts successfully extricated some of the men. The dug-out was full of lethal gas fumes, and six of the men affected subsequently died. He set a splendid example of fearless devotion and self-sacrifice.

The citation for the second award was as follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of battalion scouts. Having been ordered to reconnoitre in front of our advancing patrols, his party came under heavy and unexpected rifle and machine gun fire. In spite of this, however, after warning the patrols behind him, he continued to push forward until, owing to several casualties, further advance was impossible, whereupon he withdrew very skilfully with all his wounded back to our lines. Throughout the action he displayed splendid coolness and presence of mind and an utter disregard for personal safety.

William was promoted to the rank of sergeant and then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 1st battalion 'for service in the field' on 27th April 1918. He died of his wounds on 18th September 1918, and was buried in St Sevre Cemetery, Rouen.

William's medals were sent to his parents, who were living at 3, The Grove, Abbey Wood ... although his dependent is listed as Mrs Rose, Dundonald House, Hamilton, Bermuda, who is thought to have been the mother of his illegitimate child, and who received his weekly death pension of six shillings and six pence.