Richard William Leslie Wain VC

b. 05/12/1896 Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales. d. 20/11/1917 Marcoing, France.

Richard William Leslie Wain (1896-1917) was born at 4 Victoria Square, Penarth, Glamorgan, Wales on 5th December 1896. His father, Harris, was born at Brynmawr, near Ebbw Vale, was educated at Magdalen College, Oxford and became a solicitor. He had a legal practice firstly in Cardiff and later at Llandaff, Glamorgan. He married Florence Emily Tucker, from Abergavenny, in 1896. Richard had a sister, Elsie, who would serve in World War I in the Queen Mary’s Army Auxiliary Corps.

Richard was educated at Llandaff Cathedral School and St Bees School in Cumberland between September 1911 and July 1914. He was a member of the Officer Training Corps and was at summer camp when the war broke out. He intended to start at Oxford University in the autumn of 1914. He enlisted in 1/7th Welch (Cyclist) in September 1914 and transferred to 16th Middlesex (Public Schools Battalion) on 30th December. He was commissioned in 25th (Reserve) Battalion, Manchester Regiment on 3rd July 1915 and was posted to 17th Battalion at Belton Park, Grantham, Lincolnshire on 16th July. He moved to Larkhill on Salisbury Plain in September and the Battalion embarked for France in November, but he did not follow until March 1916, when he joined A Company.

Richard W L Wain VC

Like so many British soldiers, Wain’s first major experience of combat was on the 1st July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He was a member of A Company of the 17th Manchesters. They attacked and captured the village of Montauban, taking heavy casualties. All of A Company’s officers were killed or wounded, including Wain. He received a leg wound, and was evacuated through the regimental aid post, a field ambulance and a casualty clearing station back to Britain where he was hospitalised. During his recuperation, he returned to his parents in Cardiff and also visited his old school at St Bees.

After recovering he transferred to the Tank Corps in January 1917 and joined A Battalion. In February 1917, the Battalion went through a period of intensive training at Eclimeux, west of Arras, including day and night driving, wearing gas helmets and gas drills, unhitching and various weapons. After a period of leave, he found the Battalion had been equipped with the new Mark IV Tank. During the Battle of Messines on the 7th June Wain commanded tank A5. During this fighting his tank destroyed three German machine gun emplacements. Despite having a crewman wounded by shrapnel from the British barrage, he successfully brought A5 back to the rallying point.

On 22nd August, Richard was promoted to section commander. Two days later he was slightly wounded but remained with the unit. During the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge on 22nd September, he led the section forward over very difficult ground, although there was little for them to do. Captain Clement Robertson of C Company was awarded a posthumous VC for his actions on 4th October. A week later the Battalion moved by rail to Wailly for training with fascines. He was granted leave to Britain that day, and rejoined the Battalion on 22nd October.

By the Battle of Cambrai he was a Captain in command of Number 1 Section, 1 Company of A Battalion. As Section Commander he led his three tanks into action at 6:20am on 20th November 1917 at Marcoing. He rode in tank A2, named Abou-Ben-Adam II.

Shortly after 8:50am Abou-Ben-Adam was crossing a ridge near Good Old Man Farm, between Villers-Plouich and Marcoing. Wain spotted a group of British infantrymen pinned down by German machine gun fire. Whilst trying to draw German fire away from these men the tank was hit by German mortars, which killed six of the crew. Only one of them has been identified: Private 40060 John Alfred Browning.

Though bleeding profusely from his wounds, he refused the attention of stretcher bearers, rushed from behind the tank with a Lewis gun, and captured the strong point, taking about half the garrison prisoners. Although his wounds were very serious he picked up a rifle and continued to fire at the retiring enemy until he received a fatal wound in the head. It was due to the valour displayed by Captain Wain that the infantry were able to advance.

Richard Wain was buried alongside the wreck of Abou-Ben-Adam. Unfortunately the location of his grave was lost and is now unknown. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial to the Missing in Louverval Military Cemetery. His VC was presented to his parents by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 20th April 1918. He is commemorated on a family grave at St John’s Church, Sully, Glamorgan, on a plaque at St Bees School, Cumberland, on Llandaff War Memorial and Llandaff Cathedral School War Memorial, and a plaque at Penarth Town Council West House. There is also Wain Close in Penarth, and Wain Road in Bovington Camp, Dorset.

In addition to the VC, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19. The medals are held privately.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: ROYAL TANK MUSEUM, BOVINGTON, DORSET.

BURIAL PLACE: NO KNOWN GRAVE – ON CAMBRAI MEMORIAL, FRANCE. PANEL 13.