Sergeant John Ripley

First World War
Rue du Bois, 9th May 1915

Citation: For most conspicuous bravery at Rue de Bois, on 9/5/1915.

When leading his section on the right of the right platoon in the assault he was the first man of the Battalion to ascend the enemy’s parapet and from there he directed those following him to the gaps in the German wire entanglements, he then led his Section through a break in the parapet to a second line of trench which had previously been decided upon as the final objective in this part of the line.

In that position Cpl Ripley with 7 or 8 men established himself, blocking both flanks and arranging a fire position until all his men had fallen and he himself had been badly wounded in the head.