Harold Whitfield

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Harold Edward Whitfield

Born	10 June 1886 Oswestry, Shropshire
Died	19 December 1956 (aged 70)
Buried at	Oswestry Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1903-1934
Rank	Squadron Sergeant Major
Unit	King's Shropshire Light Infantry Shropshire Yeomanry
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Harold Edward Whitfield VC (10 June 1886 – 19 December 1956) 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.

Details

He was 31 years old, and a private in the 10th Battalion, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 10 March 1918 at Burj El Lisaneh, Egypt, during the first of three counter-attacks made by the enemy on the position which had just been captured by his battalion, Private Whitfield, single-handed, charged and captured a Lewis gun, killed the whole gun team and turned the gun on the enemy, driving them back with heavy casualties. Later he organised and led a bombing attack on the enemy, again inflicting many casualties and by establishing his party in their position saved many lives and materially assisted in the defeat of the counter-attack.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of Squadron Sergeant Major.

References

Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

Location of grave and VC medal (Shropshire)

Persondata
Name	Whitfield, Harold
Alternative names
Short description	Recipient of the Victoria Cross
Date of birth	10 June 1886
Place of birth	Oswestry, Shropshire
Date of death	19 December 1956
Place of death

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