Not applicable. Cremated at Portchester Crematorium.
JAMES OCKENDON V.C.
ACTING COMPANY SERGEANT-MAJOR.
1st Bn THE ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS.
MEDAL WON: BELGIUM 4 OCTOBER 1917.
GAZETTED: 8 NOVEMBER 1917.
BORN: PORTSMOUTH 10 DECEMBER 1890.
DIED: SOUTHSEA 29 AUGUST 1966.
MEDAL: NOT PUBLICALY HELD.
OTHER AWARDS: MM., Croix de Guerre (Belgium).
Details of the Award
On 4 October 1917 east of Langemark, Belgium, Sergeant Ockendon was acting as company
sergeant-major, and seeing the platoon on the right held up by an enemy machine-gun, he
immediately rushed the gun, regardless of his own safety and captured it, killing the crew. He
then led a section to the attack on a farm, where under very heavy fire he rushed forward and
called on the garrison to surrender. As the enemy continued to fire on him he opened fire,
killing four, whereupon the remaining 16 surrendered.
Further Information
The farm mentioned is 't Goed ter Vesten Farm and a detailed account can be found in:-
'V.C.'s of the First World War: Passchendaele 1917' by Stephen Snelling.
He was born at 56 Albert Street, Landport one of nine children and went to St.Agatha's School.
On 28 August 1917 he married Caroline Anne Green at St.Luke's Church, Southsea.
He and his wife had four children and he worked as a crane driver in Portsmouth Dockyard.
After his retirement he worked at No.3 Training Battalion, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Hilsea.
He died at his home at 5 Yorke Street, Southsea aged 75. Portsmouth City Council named
Ockendon Close in his honour. He was cremated on 1 September 1966 and his ashes
scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.
There is a memorial to James Ockendon at the British Legion in Fratton and a memorial bench in Burgoyne Gardens, Southsea.
