Humphrey Osbaldston Brooke Firman

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Humphrey Osbaldston Brooke Firman (24 November 1886- 25 April 1916) 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 29 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Navy during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On the night of 24/25 April 1916 in Mesopotamia, an attempt was made to reprovision the force besieged at Kut-el-Amara. Lieutenant Firman, commanding SS Julnar, with a lieutenant-commander (Charles Henry Cowley), a sub-lieutenant and 12 ratings, started off with 270 tons of stores up the River Tigris. Unfortunately Julnar was attacked almost at once by Turkish machine-guns and heavy artillery. At Magasis, steel hawsers stretched across the river halted the expedition, the enemy opened fire at point-blank range and Julnar's bridge was smashed. Lieutenant Firman and several of his crew were killed, the survivors and supplies being captured.

[edit] References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)