Full medal write up
On 21st December 1914 at Rouges Bancs, France, Smith and Abraham Acton, voluntarily went out from their trench and rescued a wounded man who had been lying exposed against the enemy's trenches for 15 hours. On the same day they again left their trench under heavy fire to bring in another wounded man. They were under fire for 60 minutes whilst conveying the wounded men to safety.
When asked about his VC action, James replied “It was now’t, just the usual thing”. He was wounded by a gunshot to the arm on 12th March 1915 and was evacuated to England. His VC was presented to him by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 22nd April 1915. While he was recovering he married Eliza Jane nee Reynolds at North Ormesby Parish Church in Middlesbrough. He married under his birth name, James Alexander Glenn. He returned to the Battalion on 8th October and transferred to munitions work on 2nd January 1917………
Postcard sized Approx 13.7 x 8.6 cm. The above taken from the fine vconline website:
http://www.vconline.org.uk/james-a-smith-vc/4588269317.html
A scarce original period VC recipient VC photo postcard.