Jacob Rivers

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person Private Jacob Rivers VC (17 November 1881 – 12 March 1915) was a British Army soldier and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was posthumously awarded the VC during the First World War for his actions during the Battle of Neuve Chapelle in March 1915.

Early life

Jacob Rivers' was born at Bridgegate in Derby, England, on 17 November 1881. Other than that he was one of seven children of Adeline Rivers, little is known of his formative years. He joined the British Army in June 1899, and was posted to the Royal Scots Fusiliers. A period of seven years service followed, mainly in British India and Burma. He was discharged in 1907 and was placed on the military reserve.Template:Sfn

After service in the army, Rivers worked for the Midland Railway between/June 1911 and August 1914.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

First World War

At the start of the First World War, which began for Britain in August 1914, Rivers was employed by the Midland Railway Company in Derby, working as labourer on a ballast train. He volunteered for the British Army and was posted to the 1st Battalion of The Sherwood Foresters (The Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment). The regiment was serving on the Western Front by the end of the year as part of the 8th Division.Template:Sfn

In early 1915, the division was assigned to an offensive designed to breach the German lines at Neuve Chapelle in France.Template:Sfn For the start of the offensive, on 10 March 1915, Rivers' battalion was in reserve but was brought into action the following day when it had to advance towards the village of Pietre.Template:Sfn The movement of the battalion was halted by machine-gun posts and they had to dig in. During a German counterattack the next day, the battalion was under considerable pressure on its right flank. Rivers cautiously approached the German position and threw several bombs on them, forcing the withdrawal of the garrison. Later in the day, he repeated the effort on another position but was killed. For his actions, he was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC).Template:Sfn The VC, instituted in 1856, was the highest award for valour that could be bestowed on a soldier of the British Empire.Template:Sfn The citation reads as follows: Template:Quote

He was buried in a battlefield grave which was later lost.Template:Sfn He is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

The medal

King George V presented Rivers' VC to his mother on 29 November 1916, in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace.Template:Sfn On his mother's death in 1937, his VC was donated to his regiment. The VC is displayed at the Sherwood Foresters Museum in Nottingham.Template:Sfn

In 2010, The Nottingham Castle Victoria Cross Memorial, which lists Rivers among the 20 VC recipients from Nottinghamshire, was unveiled at Nottingham Castle.Template:Sfn On 12 March 2017, the 102nd anniversary of his death, a plaque commemorating Rivers was unveiled at platform 1 of Derby railway station.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

References

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External links

• The Victoria Cross Awards to the Sherwood ForestersTemplate:Dead link (photos, site includes other articles on SF)