James Ockendon

He was one of nine children born to Alfred and Mary Ockendon at 56, Alfred Street, Landport. He attended St Agatha's School, following which he worked for Chalcraft's, a draper in Russell Street, Portsmouth. After working here for five years he joined the Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 1909 as a private. After completing his basic training at the Victoria Barracks in Southsea he served in India. During World War I Ockendon saw action in Turkey during the Gallipoli Campaign where, on 24 April 1915, he landed with his battalion on ‘V’ beach and received a bullet wound to his forehead. Following his recuperation he served in Egypt. While on leave he married Caroline ("Carrie") Anne at St Luke's Church in Portsmouth on 20 August 1917. They had four children. Soon after his marriage he joined the First Battalion at the Western Front in France where he was awarded the Military Medal for bravery on 28 September 1917 during the opening stages of the Third Battle of Ypres. ==Citation==

The awarding of his Victoria Cross was published in The London Gazette on 5 November 1917 and he was presented with the award by George V at Buckingham Palace on 5 December 1917. In April 1918, he was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre, His portrait by the artist Eric Kennington was reproduced in ''Britain's Home Guard'', written by John Brophy and published in 1945. He died in his home at Southsea on 29 August 1966, and his funeral took place at Portchester on 1 September. His ashes were scattered in the Garden of Remembrance. In 1962 Ockendon Close was named in his honour. ==Medals==

Ockendon's medals are: Victoria Cross, Military Medal, 1914 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal with MiD Oakleaf, Defence Medal (1939–45), King George VI Coronation Medal (1937), Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (1953), Croix de Guerre (Belgium). The medals, still in the possession of his granddaughter, were shown and discussed on the BBC Television programme Antiques Roadshow in May 2022. ==Notes==