A Southport war hero who won the Victoria Cross during World War 1 was honoured by veterans and armed forces personnel at an Annual Commemoration Service. 

Private Richard George Masters VC was awarded Britain’s highest honour for his bravery in the 1st World War on:- 9 April 1918 when he rescued 200 wounded men despite being shelled, with the road being swept by machine gun fire - and even bombed by an aircraft. 

He was 41 years old at the time and was serving in the RASC.

He is buried alongside wife Alice in the grounds of St Cuthbert’s Church in Churchtown in Southport. He died in 1963.

The service on:- Wednesday, 22 April 2026, was led by Reverend Rebecca Clarke the Vicar at St Cuthbert’s who was joined by Rabbi Nir Nadav CF, the Chaplain at 156 Regiment RLC.

Private Masters’ headstone was lovingly restored in 2024 thanks to the fundraising efforts of local veterans Edward Byrne and Roland Sutton which secured £2,000 for the work to be carried out.

Private Masters’ great niece Judy Masters and her partner Nigel Wilkinson were at the service.

Major Anthony Sandle, the Second in Command at 156 Regiment Royal Logistics Corps spoke at the service. 

He said the Corps has been in existence since the 1700s with only five Victoria Cross winners in that time, including Private Masters from Southport. 

Major Sandle also shared how the rescue of 200 wounded men is estimated to have meant that their descendants - around 10,000 people - would never have been born had it not been for Private Masters’ extraordinary act of courage. 

The Royal Logistics Corps has now assumed the role of approved guardian of his grave. 

The service took place in the church yard at St Cuthbert’s, which is situated next to Churchtown Primary School. 

Attendees were able to hear the delighted voices of young children playing in the playground at the school as the ceremony was taking place. 

During the service, Reverend Rebecca Clarke said:- “You can hear the children in the school next door playing out and having fun. That’s what it’s for. That’s why we’re remembering this wonderful local man here today. I’m very pleased that we can have this service each year. Since I’ve been here we’ve had this every year for eight years, and I’m aware it was happening before that as well.”

Major Anthony Sandle read the citation for Private Master’s Victoria Cross, before sharing some thoughts of his own. He said:- “Approiximately 12 months before his actions earned him the Victoria Cross, Private Masters was awarded a French honour called the Croix De Guerre which is the highest possible honour that can be given to a non-French citizen. It was awarded for a similar act of bravery that George had taken place in a year before. I was fortunate to be involved in the 100th anniversary of Private Masters’ winning his VC when we gathered in Southport. We closed Lord Street, and Sefton Council paid for a commemorative paving stone dedicated to him which can be found at the War Memorial on Lord Street. If you take the 200 people who were saved by George Masters and multiply it by thousands - because of his actions, those people were able to go on and have their own families, and their own families, and their own families. We have got probably 5 or 6 generations now. It has been estimated that there are in the region of 10,000 people who only live today because of the heroic actions of Private Masters.”

Speaking on behalf of the Masters family, Nigel Wilkinson said:- “Judy Masters remembers him as an assuming gentleman, rather dapper, with his thin moustache. She and the remaining members of the family are truly honoured that this ceremony continues so thank you all for being here today and thank you for honouring his memory.” 

Private Richard George Masters (30 March 1877 - 4 April 1963), from Southport, was awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions on:- 9 April 1918. 

He had volunteered for active service and signed up aged 42 alongside his brothers to fight in the Great War. 

An injury to his hand meant he was unable to use a rifle, so he joined the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) attached to 141 Field Ambulance. 

He carried out his act of huge bravery at a place known to the British Army Tommies as ‘Hell Fire Corner’, the only person to get through to rescue the stricken soldiers despite the area being machine gunned, shelled and bombed by an aircraft. 

The Citation for his Victoria Cross reads:- “On 9 April 1918 near Bethune, France, owing to an enemy attack, communications were cut off and the wounded could not be evacuated. The road was reported impassable but Private Masters volunteered to try to get through and after great difficulty succeeded, although he had to clear the road of all sorts of debris. He made journey after journey throughout the afternoon over a road which was being shelled and swept by machine gun fire and once he was bombed by an aeroplane. The greater number of wounded (approximately 200 men) were evacuated by him as his was the only car (motorised ambulance) which got through.”

Private Masters survived the war and lived until he was 86 years old, dying on:- 4 April 1963. 

He was buried in the cemetery at St Cuthbert’s Church in Churchtown in Southport alongside his beloved wife, Alice, who died on:- 17 June 1943 aged 65. 

Army veterans Roland Sutton and Eddie Byrne went to visit his grave 4 years ago and struggled to find it. When they did, they didn’t think it was fitting for a Victoria Cross winner and began a campaign to provide a more suitable headstone. 

They appealed to find his family through Stand Up For Southport and quickly came into contact with Private Masters’ great nieces, Judy Masters and Joanne Rich. 

Over the course of 13 months they worked together to provide the new headstone and organise the ceremony. 

Between them they funded the £2,000 needed for the headstone to be created.