John Fox-Russell VC MC (1893 – 1917) Welsh recipient of the Victoria Cross

In Memory of
Captain JOHN FOX RUSSELL
V C, M C

Royal Army Medical Corps
attd. 1st/6th Bn. , Royal Welsh Fusiliers
who died age 24
on 06 November 1917
Son of William Fox Russell and Ethel Maria Fox Russell, of 5, Victoria Terrace, Holyhead.

Remembered with honour
BEERSHEBA WAR CEMETERY

John was born in Holyhead, Ynys Mon (Anglesey) on 27 January 1893 to William Fox Russell and Ethel Maria Fox Russell.

At an early age, he passed the examination for a choristership at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was educated for a few years before attending St. Bees School in Cumbria. While at School he was an enthusiastic member of the Officer Training Corps.

He joined the Middlesex Hospital when only sixteen years of age and it was while he was in London that he joined the University of London Officers Training Corps, obtaining a commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in 1914. He was with them in camp when war was declared.
Being anxious to qualify, he was seconded in order to complete his medical studies. After obtaining his degrees, he joined the RAMC, and was attached to a battery of the R.F.A. He later re-joined his old regiment R.W.F 1st/6th Battalion (Anglesey and Caernarvonshire) and went out to Egypt as medical officer.

In the First Battle of Gaza he won the Military Cross. He was subsequently awarded the Victoria Cross at Tel-el-Khuwwilfeh, Palestine

The London Gazette, (No. 30491) dated 8 January 1918

Russell died 6 November 1917, and is buried at the Beersheba War Cemetery there is a memorial to him and two other VC recipients at St Bees School, Captain W L Robinson VC, RFC and Captain R W L Wain VC, Tank Corps
His Victoria Cross is on display at the Army Medical Services Museum, in the Defence Medical Services Training Centre, Keogh Barracks, on Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett in Surrey.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7994231

 

John Fox-Russell

Captain John Fox-Russell was killed in action on 6 November 1917 during the Sinai and Palestine Campaign. He had been a most promising pupil at St. Bees, having left to study medicine at the Middlesex Hospital aged only sixteen. At the beginning of the war he was commissioned into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, but was seconded to complete his medical studies. He joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and was became Medical Officer of a battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in Egypt. He had already been awarded the Military Cross for his services during the First Battle of Gaza in March, 1917. He was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for:
“most conspicuous bravery displayed in action. Until he was killed he repeatedly went out to attend the wounded under murderous fire from snipers and machine-guns, and in many cases, when no other means were at hand, carried them in himself, although almost exhausted. He showed the greatest possible degree of valour"

http://www.st-bees-school.org/

His brother Henry Thornbury Fox Russell MC RAF was also killed in an aeroplane accident in 1918

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1918/1918 - 1362.html

 

Heres a picture thats interesting ...... the buildings in the background of the Holyhead War Memorial - to the right - is a Roman Catholic Church and to the left - is the birthplace of John Fox Russell VC MC !

http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/742703

 

Heres a little bit more !

Capt. John Fox-Russell, VC, MC, RAMC

The son of Dr. and Mrs. W. Fox-Russell of Holyhead
Passed the examination as a Chorister at Magdalen College, Oxford and was educated there before coming to St. Bee's School from 1908 to 1910. While at the school he was a member of the Cadet Corps.
When only 16 years old he joined the Middlesex Hospital and the London University OTC.
In 1914 he was commissioned in the RWF and was with them in camp in August 1914
After obtaining his medical degrees he joined the RAMC and was attached to a battery of Royal Field Artillery.
He later joined the RWF and went out to Egypt where he won the Military Cross during the First Battle of Gaza.
He was awarded the Victoria Cross "for most conspicuous bravery displayed in action. Until he was killed, he repeatedly went out to attend the wounded under murderous fire from snipers and machine guns, and in many cases, when no other means were at hand, carried them in himself, although almost exhausted. He showed the greatest possible degree of valour." (London Gazette, 11 Jan 18).
Killed in action in Palestine on 6 Nov 17.

His photo is from the first-listed source.

Sources: St. Bees School Roll of Honour and Record of Service 1914-1919; University of London O. T. C. Roll of War Service, 1914-1919.

 

This is his brother Henry !

RUSSELL, Henry Thornbury Fox (or FOX-RUSSELL, Henry Thornbury ). 1914, 6th RWelsh Fus. To RFC ?1916/17 Transfd. to RAF Apl 1918. Accidentally killed as Capt., UK 18 Nov 1918, aged 21. MC

http://ww1talk.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=6563#post6563

 

Allenby's military medicine: life and death in World War I Palestine

http://books.google.co.il/books?id=...page&q=john fox russell captain dolev&f=false