Heroic War Hero Honoured with Memorial Stone in Somerstown
A memorial paving stone was unveiled today at the corner of Norfolk Street and Yorke Street in Somerstown to honour Company Sergeant Major James Ockendon of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery during the First World War, Ockendon’s fearless actions saved lives in a brutal 1917 battle east of Langemark, Belgium.
War Bravery That Won a Victoria Cross
On 4th October 1917, Sergeant Ockendon spotted an enemy machine gun holding up his platoon. Without hesitation, he charged the position, captured the gun, and killed the crew under heavy fire. He then led an assault on a nearby farm. Despite continuous enemy fire, he called for the garrison’s surrender. When ignored, he opened fire, killing four and forcing the remaining 16 soldiers to lay down their arms.
From Portsmouth Streets to Battlefield Hero
Born at 56 Albert Street, Landport, James Ockendon was one of nine children and attended St. Agatha’s School. He married Caroline Anne Green on 28th August 1917 at St Luke’s Church, Southsea. The couple had four children. After the war, Ockendon worked as a crane driver at Portsmouth Dockyard, later joining the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Training Battalion in Hilsea after retirement.
Legacy Lives On in Somerstown and Beyond
Ockendon passed away aged 75 at his home on 5 Yorke Street, Somerstown. Portsmouth City Council honoured him by naming Ockendon Close after him. He was cremated on 1st September 1966, with his ashes scattered in the Garden of Remembrance.
Memorials celebrating his courage can also be found at the British Legion in Fratton and a bench dedicated to him in Burgoyne Gardens, Southsea.
