Harold Ackroyd

Ackroyd attended Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, matriculating in October 1896 to follow his elder brother Edward, who had matriculated in 1893.[1] He completed his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1899 and continued his medical studies at Guy's Hospital, London.

46 Kneesworth Street, Royston

Ackroyd met Mabel Robina Smythe (1877–1947) matron of Strangeways Hospital while at Cambridge. They were married on 1 August 1908 and lived in Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire where their children Ursula (1909–1993) and Stephen (1912–1963) were born. They then moved to Brooklands, 46 Kneesworth Street, Royston, Hertfordshire, where Anthony (1914–1988) was born. There is a memorial to Ackroyd on the street-facing wall and inside the house. A road in the town has been named after him.

On 19 July 1916 he was awarded the Military Cross:

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations. He attended the wounded under heavy fire, and finally, when he had seen that all our wounded from behind the line had been got in, he went out beyond the front line and brought in both our own and enemy wounded, although continually sniped at.[2]

Ackroyd rescued many of the wounded from the 1st South African Infantry Brigade and there is a memorial to him in the room commemorating Delville Wood at Fort Beaufort Historical Museum, South Africa.

Ypres

The third battle of Ypres, known as the Battle of Passchendaele, commenced on 31 July 1917. Ackroyd died during it on 11 August.

Ackroyd's CWGC headstone

Ackroyd was attached to the 6th Battalion of the Royal Berkshire Regiment when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

For most conspicuous bravery. During recent operations Capt. Ackroyd displayed the greatest gallantry and devotion to duty. Utterly regardless of danger, he worked continuously for many hours up and down and in front of the line tending the wounded and saving the lives of officers and men. In so doing he had to move across the open under heavy machine-gun, rifle and shell fire. He carried a wounded officer to a place of safety under very heavy fire. On another occasion he went some way in front of our advanced line and brought in a wounded man under continuous sniping and machine-gun fire. His heroism was the means of saving many lives, and provided a magnificent example of courage, cheerfulness, and determination to the fighting men in whose midst he was carrying out his splendid work. This gallant officer has since been killed in action.[3]

Ackroyd's body was evacuated and buried. A headstone at Birr Cross Roads Cemetery, Zillebeke near Ypres reads "Believed to be buried in this cemetery."[4]

The medals of Harold Ackroyd

His medals were sold in 2003. The proceeds were used to endow a medical scholarship at Gonville and Caius College. In addition, the college agreed to arrange an annual memorial lecture on a scientific subject connected with medicine. In 2004 it was confirmed the buyer was Lord Ashcroft.[4]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Harold Ackroyd.

• Obituary notice (Biochemical Journal (1918) 12 1–3)