William Ratcliffe

William Ratcliffe VC MM (18 January 1884 – 26 March 1963) 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.

William Ratcliffe was born on 18th January 1884 at 38 Newhall Street, Liverpool. His parents were William Ratcliffe and Mary Ann Kelly. He was educated at St. Vincent de Paul's Roman Catholic School in Norfolk Street, Liverpool.

Ratcliffe worked in the Liverpool docks briefly after leaving school, then joined the British Army at the age of 17 and served in South Africa during the Second Boer War.

Details
Ratcliffe was 35 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The South Lancashire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Volunteers), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place during the battle of Messines for which he was awarded the VC.

On 14 June 1917 at Messines, Belgium, after an enemy trench had been captured, Private Ratcliffe located an enemy machine-gun which was firing on his comrades from the rear, and single-handed, on his own initiative, immediately rushed the machine-gun position and bayoneted the crew. He then brought the gun back into action in the front line. Private Ratcliffe had displayed similar gallantry and resource on previous occasions.

After the war he worked on the Liverpool Docks but had to retire after an industrial accident. 1956 saw the Centennial of the institution of the Victoria Cross in London's Hyde Park, where the living holders were reviewed by Queen Elizabeth II. William Ratcliffe was reluctant to attend the Centennial because his circumstances were such that he could not afford to buy a suit for the occasion. This was remedied however by a local gents outfitters, who made a new suit for him. His VC is on loan to the Imperial War Museum in Chelsea, London.