Sergeant John Ripley VC (Crail’s Lane)

Sergeant John Ripley VC (Crail’s Lane)

Sergeant John Ripley (“Jock”) VC was born in August 1867 in Keith. After completing a roof slater apprenticeship, he moved to St Andrews. It was in St Andrews where John met Jane Laing. They married in 1895 and had a son, Alexander Laing Ripley, in 1896.

Ripley took part in the Battle of Aubers Ridge, France on the 9th of May 1915. This battle was a disaster failure for the British, with 11,000 casualties sustained in a single day. The British commanders had planned to prepare the way for the oncoming troops by launching an intense artillery bombardment. However, there were not enough guns and the ones that were available were outdated and inaccurate. The bombardment failed to destroy the German defences, and the onrushing soldiers were easy targets. It was during this battle that John won the Victoria Cross, the highest British military honour. A head injury sustained during this battle prevented John from returning to active service, however he continued in his role as a recruiting sergeant until he was demobilised in 1919. After this, he returned to his former civilian life as a slater and volunteer fireman.

Today, a plaque can be found on the ground at Crail's Lane.

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