Charles Smith Rutherford
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Charles Smith Rutherford, V.C., M.C., M.M. (February 9, 1892 – June 11, 1989) was a Canadian 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.
He was 26 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 26 August 1918 at Monchy, France, Lieutenant Rutherford, commanding an assaulting party, found himself a considerable distance ahead of his men and at the same moment saw a fully armed strong enemy party outside a pill-box in front of him. By masterly bluff he managed to persuade the enemy that they were surrounded and the whole party of 45, including two officers and three machine-guns, surrendered. The lieutenant then observed that gun fire from another pill-box was holding up the assault, so with a Lewis gun section he attacked it capturing another 35 prisoners and their guns. He later achieved the rank of Captain.
From 1934 to 1940, he was the Sergeant at Arms of the Ontario Legislature when Mitchell Hepburn was Premier. He was the first sergeant to eject a member of the Legislature.
He is buried at The Union Cemetery, Colbourne, Ontario, Canada.
[edit] External links
- Charles S. Rutherford (biography)
