Arnold Loosemore

Arnold Loosemore (7 June 1896, Sheffield, England – 10 April 1924) 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.

Details
He was 21 years old, and a private in the 8th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 11 August 1917 south of Langemarck, Belgium, during the attack on a strongly held enemy position and his platoon having been held up by heavy machine-gun fire, Private Loosemore crawled through partially cut wire, dragging his Lewis gun with him and single-handed dealt with a strong party of the enemy, killing about 20 of them. Immediately afterwards his Lewis gun was destroyed and three of the enemy rushed at him, but he shot them with his revolver. Later he shot several enemy snipers, and on returning to the original post he brought back a wounded comrade under heavy fire.

On 18 October 1918 he was badly wounded by machine gun fire near Villiers-en-Cauchies and eventually had his left leg amputated. He died on 10 April 1924 from tuberculosis.

Further information
He later achieved the rank of sergeant. An image of Sgt Loosemore is viewable in the entrance to the United Kingdom Public Records Office in Kew. His medal is privately owned and not on public display. In the early 1980s a street in the S12 area of Sheffield was named Loosemore Drive by the lord mayor. There was a memorial plaque to mark this fact but this has been removed due to repeated vandalism.