Major Arnold Waters
Major Arnold Waters was commemorated in a ceremony on the 4th of November 2108. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for acts of bravery whilst in charge of bridging the Oise-Sambre Canal near Ors, in northern France. This was the campaign during which the poet Wilfred Owens died. Although he eventually settled in Birmingham after returning from the war, Sir Waters was born and grew up in Plymouth. In fact, he was invited to a ‘Freedom Ceremony’ in Plymouth in 1919, where he received an illuminated commendation and a ‘Sword of Honour’. Waters’ plaque joins the three others unveiled since the First World War centenary began.
The first stone is dedicated to Sergeant Alfred Joseph Richards who saw action at Gallipoli in 1915. The second and third are dedicated to Captain John James Crowe and George William St. George Grogan, both of whom served on the Western Front in Belgium and France respectively.
The wonderful Victoria Cross medal is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum, Chatham, Kent and not only did he receive just this prestigious award he also won five other awards.
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