Local people and members of the A. L. Lewis VC Memorial Fund honoured the death of Lance Corporal Allan Leonard Lewis VC on Friday, September 21st, which marked exactly 100 years since his death.

Lance Corporal Lewis took part in the final allied push to break the German Hindenburg Line in late 1918. He showed exceptional bravery under fire during these final battles, but was killed on September 21st, 1918, just a few weeks before the war’s end.

His acts of heroism during the First World War led to the awarding of the Victoria Cross.

Commemorations began in the gardens of Hereford Cathedral. Proceedings then moved to the Old Market, where at 11am Major Alan Harrhy, Vice Chairman of the A. L. Lewis VC Memorial Fund, lead a ceremony to unveil a bronze statue of Lance Corporal Lewis VC.

The tribute was sculpted by Jemma Pearson who also created the Elgar statue which overlooks Hereford Cathedral. See this week’s paper for more stories like this, available in shops and as a Digital Edition now.