Frederick Albert Tilston

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Major Frederick A. Tilston, Essex Scottish Regiment, at an investiture during which he received the Victoria Cross, Buckingham Palace, London, England, 22 June 1945

Frederick Albert Tilston, VC (June 11, 1906 - September 23, 1992) 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. As a teenager, Tilston attended De La Salle College "Oaklands", an all-boys military prep school in Toronto, Ontario.

1 Details
2 Further information
3 The medal
4 Honours
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Details

He was 38 years old, and an Acting Major in The Essex Scottish Regiment, Canadian Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 1 March 1945, Hochwald Forest, Germany, in his first and last attack as commander of 'C' Company of the Essex Scottish Regiment, Maj. Frederick Tilston acts more like an action hero than an officer. After a 500-metre dash behind a barrage of artillery shells and through a belt of wire three metres deep, Tilston leaps into the enemy trenches. Firing his Sten gun from his hip, Tilston clears the trench and then races toward the forest. He clears out a machine gun post using a hand grenade, and leads his remaining men into hand-to-hand combat. Tilston has been wounded in the head and the hip, yet he consolidates his troops and holds the position against counterattack. Six times he makes an insane dash to a neighbouring company to get more bullets and grenades for his men. On his last trip, Tilston is hit in the other leg and crumples to the ground. When medics finally arrive, his only words are, "We held."

In 1945 Tilson who joined The War Amps Association (a non-profit organization of "amputees helping amputees" (War Amps) in 1945. He also returned to his former place of business as vice-president in charge of sales.

[edit] Further information

Photo by Terry Macdonald.

Grave/memorial at Buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Erskine Avenue, Toronto, Canada. R.C. Section. Plot 23 - NW Corner. Headstone.

[edit] The medal

Please update if you know where his medal is publicly displayed.

[edit] Honours

Even into retirement Tilston was active throughout York County where a number of honours and memorials bear his name:

The Aurora Canadian Legion Branch 385 is named Colonel Fred Tilston VC Legion in his honour.
The Cenotaph in Sharon, Ontario was unveiled by Tilston and bears his name.
St. Andrew's College (Aurora, Ontario) gives out Tilston Awards each year, one in every grade, to students who have "shown courage in the face of adversity".
The De La Salle Cadet Corps (De La Salle Cadet Corps website) at De La Salle College 'Oaklands' in Toronto, Ontario has named it's primary body of cadets the 'Tilston Platoon'.