John Meikle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Meikle
Sergeant John Meikle
Born	11 September 1898 Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire
Died	20 July 1918 (aged 19) Near Marfaux, France
Buried	Marfaux British Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	The Seaforth Highlanders
Battles/wars	World War I  †
Awards	Victoria Cross Military Medal

John Meikle (born September 11, 1898 – died July 20, 1918) was a brave Scottish soldier. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for courage given to British and Commonwealth soldiers. He also received the Military Medal. These awards recognized his amazing bravery during World War I.

Early Life and Joining the Army

John Meikle was born in a town called Kirkintilloch in Scotland. Later, his family moved to Nitshill, which is a part of Glasgow. After finishing school, John worked at the ticket office of the Nitshill railway station. He was a clerk there, helping people with their train tickets.

In February 1915, when he was just 16 years old, John decided to join the army. He became a soldier in a famous Scottish regiment called the Seaforth Highlanders. In July 1916, he went to France to fight in World War I.

Bravery at Ypres

John Meikle showed great courage early in his military career. He was a lance-corporal during the Third Battle of Ypres. On September 20, 1917, he earned the Military Medal for his bravery during the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge. This award recognized his actions under fire.

Heroic Actions and the Victoria Cross

John Meikle was a sergeant in the 4th Battalion of the Seaforth Highlanders. He was only 19 years old when he performed the incredibly brave actions that earned him the Victoria Cross. This happened on July 20, 1918, near Marfaux, France. It was during a major battle called the Second Battle of the Marne.

Facing Machine Guns

During the battle, John Meikle's company was stopped by heavy machine-gun fire. These machine guns were very dangerous. John, acting alone, bravely rushed towards the enemy machine-gun nest. He fired his revolver at the soldiers operating two guns. Then, he used a heavy stick to put the rest of the enemy soldiers out of action.

After clearing the first nest, John stood up and waved to his comrades, telling them to follow him forward.

Final Act of Courage

Soon after, another enemy machine gun started firing. This new gun stopped their progress again and also threatened another company of soldiers nearby. Most of John's platoon had been hurt or killed. John quickly grabbed a rifle and bayonet from a fallen friend. He bravely rushed forward again towards this new machine gun.

Sadly, John Meikle was killed right near the gun position. However, his incredible bravery allowed two other soldiers who followed him to put that machine gun out of action. John's courage, dedication to his duty, and complete disregard for his own safety were a huge inspiration to everyone around him.

Remembering John Meikle

John Meikle is buried at the Marfaux British Cemetery in France. This cemetery is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They make sure that soldiers who died in wars are remembered.

Memorials and Medals

There is a special memorial to John Meikle outside the Dingwall railway station in Scotland. The words on it say that it's "In memory of Sergt John Meikle V.C M.M late clerk at Nitshill Station." It also mentions that he joined the Seaforth Highlanders in 1915 and was killed in action on July 20, 1918. His railway friends put up this memorial.

The memorial was first placed at Nitshill railway station in 1920. Over the years, it was moved to Levern Primary School in Nitshill, which was the school John had attended. In 1997, when the school was going to be torn down, the head teacher made sure the memorial was saved. It was then moved to Dingwall station. A new memorial was also put up at Nitshill Station on October 18, 2016.

John Meikle's medals, including his very special Victoria Cross, are now on display at the Dingwall Museum in Ross-Shire, Scotland.