Towers returned to Broughton and within a few months was discharged from the British Army. He received his VC in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 8 May 1919. In an interview to a Lancashire newspaper, in describing his motivation for his actions, Towers said "I felt then that I had to go to the help of these lads. After all, they were my pals". Later life Returning to his civilian life, Towers resumed working on the family farm. He attended the interment service for The Unknown Warrior at Westminster Abbey on 11 November 1920, and would be a regular attendee at dinners and other commemorations for VC recipients, including the 1956 VC Centenary at Hyde Park. After his father retired from farming, Towers started his own business. From 1971 his health fell into decline and he died on 24 January 1977 at the Royal Infirmary at Preston in Lancashire. Survived by his wife and a daughter, his ashes were scattered on the lawns of the Preston Crematorium after a service that included representatives of the Scottish Rifles and VC Association. There are several memorials to Towers; a road is named for him in the Lonsdale Estate in Preston and in Broughton, a major thoroughfare, opened in October 2017, is also named for him. On 6 October 2018, the hundred year anniversary of the action that led to the award of Towers' VC, a commemorative plaque naming him was unveiled at the Preston Flag Market. Victoria Cross In addition to the VC, Towers was also entitled to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his service in the First World War. The medals remained in the family for several years but were sold at auction in 1983, fetching £7,500 at the time. They appeared again at auction in Australia in 2005, selling this time for a value of £90,000. Ten years later, in an auction held in London, the medals were sold for £144,000 to an anonymous bidder. His VC was again sold at auction for £248,000 in April 2021. Notes References External links Burial location of James Towers "Lancashire" News Item "James Towers' Victoria Cross sold at auction" 1897 births 1977 deaths People from Broughton, Lancashire 5th Dragoon Guards soldiers Cameronians soldiers British Army personnel of World War I British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel