Page 223 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

Michael Heaviside VC – Remembered 100 years on
The Michael Heaviside VC Commemorations were started with the unveiling of a VC paviour and explanation panel in Craghead, the village where Pte Heaviside lived, worked and died after the war. A re ection of Michael Heaviside’s life was read out by Cllr Bill Kellett, Durham Council Chairman and Ceremonial Mayor of Durham. There was a Dedication of the Memorial Stone, HM’s Lord Lieutenant Mrs Sue Snowdon and Cllr Bill Kellett removed the draped DLI ag to reveal the VC stone.
Wreaths were laid by the Lord Lieutenant on behalf of HM The Queen, Cllr Bill Kellett the Right Worshipful The Mayor of Durham on behalf of Durham County Council, Major (Retd) Chris Lawton MBE DL on behalf of the Durham Light Infantry, Inspector David Turner on behalf of the police, Chief Fire Of cer Errington on behalf of the re and rescue, Durham Mineworkers Union on behalf of Craghead Colliery and Mrs Eileen Lowes, Michael’s grand- daughter on behalf of the Heaviside family.
The Act of Remembrance was spoken by Major (Retd) Chris Lawton and “Last Post” and “Reveille” were sounded by Bugler Elliott from D Ri es Coy and the whole congregation sang the National Anthem. Everyone on parade then crossed the road to Bloomfontein School where a Stanley Town Council Commemorative Blue Plaque to Pte Heaviside was unveiled. Invited guests, the Heaviside family, relatives and others were then invited into Craghead Village Hall to see items, banners and information boards from the DLI Collection. This was followed by lunch in the Village Hall. Daniel O’Brien, Stanley Area Action Partnership Coordi- nator said “local county council members, Stanley Town Councillors, Heaviside family members and local residents wanted to celebrate and of cially remember the heroic actions of Michael Heaviside VC as “The Centenary Project” has really grown and has involved a number of key partners and funding streams to bring it to fruition.
At 1400 hrs that same day, Wednesday 12 July 17 there was a re-enactment of the homecoming of Michael Heaviside VC in the Stanley High Street when approximately 1000 members of the public including over 200 school children all dressed in period dress from 1917 paraded through the High Street behind the Craghead Colliery Band and local Miner’s banners to be joined by Norman Heaviside who arrived in a horse drawn charabanc playing the part of his Grandfather 100 years ago.
Members of military re-enactment groups dressed in period uniform joined the crowd in their period dress in front of the former Town Hall where Michael Heaviside had been introduced 100 years ago to the day. Speeches were made by various guests but it was Grandson Norman Heaviside who said “It has been a great pleasure to have played the part of my grandfather, I can only imagine what he must have been feeling when he came back from the First World War.
As part of the overall celebrations, two black and white lms from the Imperial War Museum were shown at Stanley Civic Hall theatre. Firstly on the evening of Tuesday 11 July 17 was the lm taken in 1916 of “The Battle of the Somme” which was accompanied live by the Cotwebb Orchestra. The original 1916 lm by Geoffrey Malins and John
McDowell was an added bonus. This was followed on the evening of Wednesday 12 July 17 by the 1917 Imperial War Museum lm featuring the “Battle of Arras” (where Heaviside won his VC). This lm was accompanied by a running commentary by WW1 Cinematography Expert Alistair Fraser who had also introduced the “Battle of the Somme” the previous evening. Also shown was the original lm featuring Heaviside’s homecoming footage on 12 July 1917. All memorable events that will be talked about and remembered for a very long time.
Wreaths were laid by HM’s Lord Lieutenant,
Cllr Bill Kellett, Major Chris Lawton, Police,
Fire Brigade, Durham Mineworkers Union,and Mrs Eileen Lowes Granddaughter to Michael and members of the family
Michael Heaviside VC – 06 MAY 2017
A Memorial Stone was unveiled to mark the 100th anniversary of the action that earned Michael Heaviside 15 DLI his VC. Michael Heaviside was awarded his VC in 1917 for rescuing a badly wounded man who had been in no-man’s land for four days and three nights and was almost demented with thirst. Heaviside succeeded that same evening after making his way through sustained machine gun re earlier in the day to give the wounded man some much needed water and with the assistance of two comrades, he rescued the wounded man.
To mark the anniversary a VC stone was unveiled during a service in St Giles Church, Gilesgate, Co Durham. His grandson Jim Heaviside who re ected on his grandfather during the service said “he will never be forgotten”. Private Michael Heaviside was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 21 July 1917. After the War, Michael Heaviside VC returned to work as a miner after his discharge in 1919 at Craghead. He died 26 April 1939 due to the effects of the WW1 gas poisoning and his harsh life down the mines.
Grandson, Jim
Heaviside re ects on his Grandfather’s actions that earned him his VC in May 1917
THE RIFLES
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