Company Sergeant Major James McNulty (Junior) MM
201646 2/5th East Lancashire Regiment
Formerly 5663 East Lancashire Regiment
Lived at 6 Park Lane
MM London Gazette 26/7/1918
Burnley Express 19/12/1914 - 11/11/1916

Burnley Soldier features in Imperial War Museum’s VC Exhibition

The Imperial War Museum is now featuring an exhibition which is the world’s largest gathering of Victoria and George crosses including those belonging to the musum and those in the Lord Ashcroft Collection. Included in this Collection is the Victoria Cross awarded to Drummer Spencer John Bent of the 1st Battalion 1st Battalion East Lancashire Regiment who was awarded the VC at the action at Le Gheer in Belgium during the First Battle of Ypres on night of 3rd November 1914. Bent was awarded the VC for his rescue of Private James McNulty who lived at 6 Park Lane, Burnley
The following is from an interview by The Suffolk Chronicle with Drummer Bent about his act of heroism:-

Drummer Bent VC

"Private McNulty went out of the trench, and on returning was hit in the pit of the stomach. He fell, and the Germans were trying to hit him again; you could see the earth flying up all around him. I said, "Why doesn't someone go and help him?" and got the reply, "Why not go yourself?" I went, and to make it difficult for the Germans to hit me I zig-zagged to him. They did not snipe at me while I was advancing, but as soon as I got hold of McNulty's shoulder something seemed to take my feet from under me, and I slipped under McNulty. This took place close to the walls of a ruined convent, and several bullets struck the wall. Knowing it was impossible to stand up, I hooked my feet under McNulty's arms, and using my elbows I managed to drag myself and him back to the trenches about twenty-five yards away. I got a bullet through the flesh of my right leg, and had to be taken to hospital."
James McNulty was a regular soldier who had re-enlisted for the war. After hospital treatment he recovered and was transferred to the 1st/ 4th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment and rose to the rank of sergeant. After serving in Egypt, Gallipoli and on the Western Front he survived the war.