Noel Mellish

Noel Mellish
Born	24 December 1880 Barnet, London
Died	8 July 1962 (aged 81) South Petherton, Somerset
Buried at	Weymouth Crematorium
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1915–1919
Rank	Chaplain
Unit	Royal Army Chaplains' Department
Battles/wars	Second Boer War World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Military Cross
Other work	Anglican priest

Edward Noel Mellish VC MC (24 December 1880 – 8 July 1962) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Edward Noel Mellish was born on 24 December 1880 at Oakleigh Park, Barnet, North London. He was the son of Edward and Mary Mellish. He went on to be educated at Saffron Walden Grammar School and from there became a member of the Artists Rifles. In 1900 he began serving with Baden-Powell's police against the Boers in South Africa.

On the outbreak of the First World War Mellish was assistant curate at St Paul's, Deptford. He offered his services to the chaplaincy and served from May 1915 until February 1919. Just a few months after this his brother Second Lieutenant Richard Coppin Mellish was killed in action whilst serving with the 1st Middlesex Regiment at the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915. Reverend Mellish was attached to the 4th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers in Ypres Salient in 1916 and it was then during the first three days of the Action of the St Eloi Craters that he performed the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. He was the first member of the army chaplaincy to win the VC in the First World War.

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