Abraham Acton

Abraham Acton
Born	(1893-12-17)17 December 1893 Whitehaven, Cumberland, United Kingdom
Died	16 May 1915(1915-05-16) (aged 21) Festubert, France
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1914–1915
Rank	Private
Unit	Border Regiment
Battles / wars	World War I Western Front Second Battle of Artois Battle of Festubert  †
Awards	Victoria Cross

Abraham Acton VC (17 December 1893 – 16 May 1915) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Acton was born on 17 December 1893 to Robert and Elizabeth Eleanor Acton, of 4 Regent Square, Senhouse Street, Whitehaven in Cumberland.^[1][2]

He was 21 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The Border Regiment, British Army during the First World War. He and James Alexander Smith, were both awarded their Victoria Cross for their actions on 21 December 1914 at Rouges Bancs, France.

For conspicuous bravery on 21st December, at Rouges Bancs, in voluntarily going from their trench and rescuing a wounded man who had been lying exposed against the enemy's trenches for 75 hours, and on the same day again leaving their trench voluntarily, under heavy fire, to bring into cover another wounded man. They were under fire for 60 minutes whilst conveying the wounded men into safety.^[3]

He was killed in action at Festubert, France, on 16 May 1915, but his body was never found - he is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial.^[4][5]

His VC is displayed at The Beacon, Whitehaven, Cumbria, England.

• Gliddon, Gerald (2011) [1994]. 1914. VCs of the First World War. Stroud, Gloucestershire: The History Press. ISBN 978-0752459080.
• Harvey, David (2000). Monuments to Courage. Naval & Military Press Ltd. ISBN 1-84342-356-1.
• Whitworth, Alan (2015). VCs of the North: Cumbria, Durham & Northumberland. Pen and Sword Books. ISBN 978-1473848221.

• Location of Abraham Acton's Victoria Cross The Beacon, Whitehaven*
• The Regimental Museum "The Border and King's Own Royal Border Regiment Museum Carlisle Castle". Archived from the original on 30 September 2007.