Villers Faucon Communal Cemetery
1 Old Bristolian
Villers Faucon Communal Cemetery (CWGC, 2016)
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Villers-Faucon is a village about 12 kilometres north-east of Peronne. The Cemetery is situated north of the village on the road to Guyencourt-Saulcourt.
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Villers-Faucon was captured by the 5th Cavalry Division on 27 March 1917, lost on 22 March 1918, and retaken by the III Corps on 7 September 1918. The Commonwealth graves in the COMMUNAL CEMETERY are those of soldiers who died in February-August 1917, or (in the case of two who are buried in Row B) in September 1918. They were made by the cavalry, the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division, and other fighting troops. The communal cemetery contains 227 First World War burials, five of them unidentified, and 91 German graves.
The adjoining EXTENSION was begun in April 1917 and used until March 1918. It was then used by the Germans, and Commonwealth burials were resumed in September and October 1918. Further Commonwealth graves were brought in after the Armistice from a wide area round Villers-Faucon. The extension contains 459 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 144 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to six casualties believed to be buried among them. The extension also contains 66 German graves. The Commonwealth plots were designed by Sir Herbert Baker.
Casualties
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Born: circa 1890
School
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Died: 18/04/1917
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Parents: Henry and Margaret King, of 1, Stackpool Rd., Bristol.
Military Cross
Instituted on 28th December 1914 the Military Cross (M.C.) is the third level military decoration awarded to Officers.
This decoration was awarded to Leonard King for an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active operations against the enemy.
The Military Cross (M.C.) is awarded for gallantry during active operations against the enemy.
Leonard King,as an owner of the Military Cross, is entitled to use the letters M.C. after his name.
Citations for the M.C. were published in the London Gazette during the Great War. However if the M.C. was a King’s Birthday or New Year award, details were not published and in most cases will not be available.
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Victory Medal
Given the information we have available it is likely that Leonard King was entitled to the Victory medal, also called the Inter Allied Victory Medal. This medal was awarded to all who received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.
Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible. Buy Medals
British War Medal
From the information available to us, it is very possible that Leonard King was entitled to the British War Medal for service in World War One. This British Empire campaign medal was issued for services between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918.
The medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period. Buy Medals
