Harry Christian
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Harry Christian (January 17, 1892-September 2, 1974) 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 members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.
He was 23 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, The King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 18 October 1915 at Cuinchy, Pas-de-Calais, France, Private Christian was holding a crater with five or six men in front of the Allied lines. The enemy started a fierce bombardment of the position, forcing a temporary withdrawal. When he found that three men were missing, Private Christian at once returned alone to the crater and although bombs were continually bursting actually on the edge of the crater, he found, dug out and carried one by one into safety, all the three men. Later he placed himself where he could see the bombs coming and directed his comrades when and where to seek cover.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at The King's Own Royal (Lancaster) Regiment Museum (renamed as The King's Own Royal Border Regiment) (Lancaster, England).
[edit] References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)
[edit] External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Cumbria)
