John Carmichael
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John Carmichael, VC, MM (1 April 1893 — 20 December 1977) was a Scottish 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 24 years old, and a sergeant in the 9th Battalion, The North Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 8 September 1917 near Hill 60, Zwarteleen, Belgium, when excavating a trench, Sergeant Carmichael saw that a grenade had been unearthed and had started to burn. He immediately rushed to the spot shouting to his men to get clear, put his steel helmet over the grenade and then stood on the helmet. The grenade exploded and blew him out of the trench. He could have thrown the bomb out of the trench but realised that by doing so he would have endangered the lives of the men working on top. He was seriously injured.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment (Lichfield, Staffordshire, England).
[edit] References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
- VCs of the First World War - Passchendaele 1917 (Stephen Snelling, 1998)
[edit] External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Strathclyde)
- John Carmichael, V.C. (cemetery & photo)
