Thomas Caldwell was a Scottish 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.

He was 24 years old, and a Sergeant in the 12th Bn., The Royal Scots Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 31 October 1918 near Audenarde , Belgium, Sergeant Caldwell was in command of a Lewis gun section engaged in clearing a farmhouse, and when his section came under intense fire at close range, the sergeant rushed towards the farm, captured the enemy position single-handed and took 18 prisoners. This gallant and determined exploit removed a serious obstacle from the line of advance and led to the capture by the section of about 70 prisoners, eight machine-guns and one trench mortar.

He later achieved the rank of Company Sergeant-Major.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Glasgow, Scotland).

Reference

• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• SCOTLAND'S FORgotten VALOUR (Graham Ross, 1995)
• VCs of the First World War - The Final Days 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 2000)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.