Victoria Cross Recipient Honored with Blue Plaque 107 Years After Award

A First World War serviceman, Lance Corporal (LCpl) Frederick Room, originally from St George in Bristol, has received a blue plaque honor, occurring 107 years subsequent to his Victoria Cross award. King George V bestowed the medal upon him on 8 November 1917 at Durdham Down. During the Battle of Passchendaele, LCpl Room commanded a group of stretcher-bearers from the 2nd Royal Irish Battalion, who persisted in aiding wounded individuals despite intense enemy fire. The commemorative blue plaque was revealed at 24 Congleton Road, Bristol, LCpl Room’s previous residence, during a ceremony held on Friday morning. Multiple relatives of LCpl Room attended the event to commemorate the courage he displayed on that occasion. His great nephew, Martyn Kingscott, stated: “We’re really pleased and very proud and it’s wonderful to be able to share it with the family – to come down and see it being unveiled.” Andrew Kingscott, also LCpl Room’s great nephew, commented: “It’s really nice to see him recognised and I’m really proud.” Jennifer Kingscott, another family member who has conducted research on LCpl Room, remarked: “It’s very special to be here and to have the boys (LCpl Room’s great nephews) here as well. It’s lovely.” Jeremy Banning, a historian present at the ceremony, has been investigating LCpl Room’s life in collaboration with fellow historian Clive Burlton. Banning stated: “He was involved in horrible conditions – mud, machine gun bullets, sniper fire and he worked with his team all day, bringing in wounded men, patching them up and taking them for evacuation.” He added: “He was awarded the ultimate honour, the Victoria Cross.” While LCpl Room’s acts of bravery during the war secured him the Victoria Cross, they concurrently resulted in enduring health issues. His family reported that his lungs suffered severe damage due to the harsh environment encountered by soldiers on the Western Front, leading to his death from pneumonia in 1932 at the age of 36. For updates, BBC Bristol maintains a presence on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story submissions are accepted via email or WhatsApp at 0800 313 4630. This material is Copyright 2024 BBC, with all rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for content found on external websites and provides information on its external linking policy.