Reverend Edward Noel Mellish V.C. M.C
The Reverend Edward Noel Mellish (1880 - 1962), Army chaplain during the First World War attached to the 4th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers. Was the first member of the Army chaplaincy to be awarded the Victoria Cross. On three consecutive days, the 27 to 29 March 1916, during the heavy fighting at St. Eloi, Belgium, he went to-and fro continuously between the original trenches and the captured enemy trenches, attending to and rescuing wounded men. The first day, from an area swept by machine-gun fire, he rescued 10 severely wounded men. Although his battalion was relieved on the second day, he returned and rescued 12 more of the wounded. Taking charge of a group of volunteers, on the third day, he again returned to the trenches in order to rescue the remaining wounded. This excellent work was done voluntarily and was far outside the sphere of his normal duties.
Pictured here at St. Paul's Church in Deptford, South East London where he was curate where he had just conducted a special children's service. The Illustrated War News reports he was over six feet tall and very popular, especially with children to whom he is notably gentle
