Geoffrey St George Shillington Cather
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Geoffrey St. George Shillington Cather (born October 11, 1890 - died July 2, 1916) was born in the Streatham Hill area of south-west London. He 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.
He was 25 years old, and a lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 1 July 1916 near Hamel, France, from 7pm till midnight, Lieutenant Cather searched "No Man's Land" and brought in three wounded men. Next morning, at 8am, he continued his search, brought in another wounded man and gave water to others, arranging for their rescue later. Finally, at 10.30am, he took out water to another man and was proceeding further on when he was himself killed. All this was carried out in full view of the enemy and under direct machine-gun fire and intermittent artillery fire.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Regimental Museum The Royal Irish Fusiliers, (Armagh, Ireland).
[edit] References
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- VCs of the First World War - The Somme (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)
