In this month of Remembrance, I thought I would share the story of a former Sunbury resident who won the Victoria Cross, the Nation’s highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy, and almost incredibly, survived his ordeal.
Jack Thomas Counter was born in Blandford, Dorset, on 3rd November 1898. He served as a private in the 1st Battalion, King’s Liverpool Regiment, and on 16th April 1918, when he was just 19, he carried out the acts of bravery which earned him the V.C. The citation stated that “It was necessary for information to be obtained from the front line, in which the enemy had effected a lodgement.
The only way was from the support line along a sunken road, and thence down a forward slope for about 250 yards with no cover, in full view of the enemy, and swept by their machine-gun and rifle fire. After a small party had tried unsuccessfully (the leader having been killed and another wounded before leaving the sunken road) it was thought that a single man had more chance of getting through. This was attempted five times, but on each occasion the runner was killed in full view of the position from which he had started. Private Counter, who was near his officer at the time, and had seen the five runners killed one after the other, then volunteered to carry the message.
He went out under terrific fire and succeeded in getting through. He then returned, carrying with him the vital information with regard to the estimated number of enemy in our line, the exact position of our flank, and the remaining strength of our troops. This information enabled his commanding officer to organise and launch the final counter-attack, which succeeded in regaining the whole of our position.
Subsequently this man carried back five messages across the open under a heavy artillery barrage to company headquarters.” Jack Counter left the army in 1921 with the rank of Corporal, and was married that year to Ada Vauvert, a girl from Jersey.
After going to live in her native island for a while, Mr and Mrs Counter moved to Sunbury in 1925, where he became a postman in Sunbury Common. The couple lived with their daughter at 46 Cavendish Road, and when interviewed in 1930, was said to be the youngest living V.C. in England.
A shy man, it took him 18 months to get a council house, and he was living in two rooms until a local resident took up his case with the Council. The reporter noted how few local people knew that the man delivering their letters was a hero! He regularly attended the Armistice Day parades, but his reticent nature meant that he did not actually take part. The couple later returned to Jersey, but it was while visiting relatives at Blandford that Jack passed away in 1970. His ashes were interred in Jersey, and his V.C. is on display there.
‘The War of the Worlds’ is the subject of the next meeting of The Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society, marking the 150th anniversary of the birth of its author, H.G. Wells. Sunbury and Shepperton both feature in the story. It takes place on Tuesday 15th November at Halliford School, Russell Road, Shepperton, starting at 8pm. All welcome, admission £2 to non-members.