Samuel Frickleton: “Magnificent Courage and Gallantry” at Messines

Frickleton’s Early Years

Samuel Frickleton was born on 1 April 1891 in the mining town of Slamannan, near Glasgow in Scotland. His family immigrated to New Zealand in 1908 where Frickleton worked as a coal-miner in Blackball on the South Island’s West Coast.   

At the outbreak of World War I, he joined up with his four brothers and headed for Gallipoli in 1915. He was briefly involved in the action before returning to New Zealand as medically unfit in November 1915. In April 1916, he re-enlisted and, after training, was posted to the New Zealand Rifle Brigade later in that year and sent to France.

The Battle of Messines

At 3.10am on 7 June 1917, the New Zealand Division went ‘over the top’ at Messines. In two days of heavy fighting, all initial objectives had been taken. The high explosives that had been placed in shafts deep under German lines exploded with great effect, killing many defenders and leaving survivors dazed.

In addition, the British artillery had so effectively disrupted its German counterpart that it was ten minutes before a weak German barrage fell in ‘no man’s land’. By that time, the New Zealand 2nd and 3rd (Rifle) Brigades were already across the ridge, following closely behind a meticulously planned sequence of standing and creeping barrages. The 1st Brigade then took over and pushed beyond Messines.

The attack had been a model of careful staff planning, effective preparation, and infantry-artillery coordination. However, it still came at a price; there were 3700 New Zealand casualties, of whom 700 were killed during eight days of fighting.

Frickleton at Messines

Despite the New Zealanders initially finding a demoralised enemy hammered by shells from 2,266 field guns and howitzers, on the reverse side of Messines ridge the Germans became more numerous, better organised, and therefore offered more resistance. Frickleton’s Battalion were held up on the outskirts of the village of Messines by heavy machine gun fire that was coming from the other side of the artillery barrage. Frickleton’s company were suffering heavy casualties and Frickleton himself had been slightly wounded in the arm. The New Zealanders had taken cover and were becoming both angry and frustrated at seeing men dying and wounded, crying out for water or for a ‘smoke’.

The machine gun fire continued unceasingly, so Frickleton decided to take care of the gun himself. He called his section to follow him and together they pushed into the barrage and advanced on the machine gun post. The smoke and debris concealed Frickleton’s approach until he was able to move to only a few metres away. At this point, he lobbed a hand grenade into the post, rushed it, and used his bayonet to clear the way. He then went and dealt to a second machine gun about 25 metres away, killing the crew and destroying the gun. This action won him the Victoria Cross. His citation read:

“Although slightly wounded, Lance Corporal Frickleton dashed forward at the head of his section, rushed through a barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machine gun and crew, which were causing heavy casualties. He then attacked the second gun, killing the whole of the crew of twelve. By the destruction of these two guns he undoubtedly saved his own and other units from very severe casualties and his magnificent courage and gallantry ensured the capture of the objective.”

After the machine guns were silenced, Frickleton, along with the other men, continued to move through the village, fighting the 40th Saxon and 3rd Bavarian Divisions. The Germans lodged in windows, doorways, behind garden walls, and in other prepared positions along the street. However, they were unable to stop the New Zealanders as they attacked aggressively. At some stage during this push, Frickleton was wounded a second time, carried from the battlefield, and then evacuated to England.

Beyond Messines

He was commissioned in March 1918 and, following his return to New Zealand, joined the New Zealand Staff Corps until his retirement in 1927 with the rank of Captain. After his retirement he joined the Territorial Force and was active in several societies, including the Caledonian Society. He also had a strong interest in the Returned Services Association until his death on 6 August 1970 at the age of 80.

Samuel Frickleton is buried at the Taita Servicemen’s Cemetery, Lower Hutt. He is also commemorated at Burnham Military Camp where they renamed its infantry battalion barracks the Frickleton VC Lines in his honour. 

We are very proud to have Samuel Frickleton’s medals on display at the National Army Museum Te Mata Toa. If you wish to see them, they are in the Valour Alcove in our Medal Repository.