Personal info
- Name: Albert WHITE
- D.O.B: 1st Dec, 1892
- D.O.A: 19th May, 1917
- D.O.D: 19th May, 1917
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Sergeant, 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers
- Book: The Complete History - Volume 2
North-east of Monchy-le-Preux, France 19 May 1917
19 May 1917
The First World War 1917
By 19 May 1917 the British line was just east of Monchy-le-Preux (see 9, 11 April 1917 above), which lay north of the Arras-Cambrai road. On the 19th, D Company, 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers, led by Captain W Davies and Second Lieutenant V Jones (Royal Welsh Fusiliers), attacked a German position known as Devil’s Trench, north-east of Monchy.When Davies and Jones were killed Sergeant A White took command, personally targeting a German machine-gun which was holding up his company’s advance and was himself killed. His self-sacrifice proved to be in vain and the attack failed.
Citation
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. Realising during an attack that one of the enemy’s machine guns, which had previously been located, would hold up the whole advance of his Company, Sjt. White, without the slightest hesitation and regardless of all personal danger, dashed ahead of his Company to capture the gun. When within a few yards of the gun he fell riddled with bullets, having thus willingly sacrificed his life in order that he might secure the success of the operations and the welfare of his comrades.