2nd
Lieutenant Hugh Colvin VC
Excerpt from
the book Passchendale- The Sacrificial Ground
London Gazette 8th November 1917 "For
most conspicuous bravery in attack. When all the officers of his company
except for himself and all but one in the leading company, had become
casualties and losses were heavy, he assumed command of both companies
and led them forward under heavy machine gun fire with great dash and
success. He saw the battalion on his right held up by machine gun fire,
and led a platoon to their assistance. 2/Lieutenant Colvin then went on
with only two men to a dug out. Leaving the men on top, he entered it
alone and came out with fourteen prisoners. He then proceeded with his
two men to another dug out which had been holding up the attack with rife
and machine gun fire and bombs. This he reached and, killing or making
prisoner of the crew, captured the machine gun. Being then attacked from
another dug out by fifteen men and an officer, one his his own men was
killed and the other wounded. Seizing a rifle he shot five of the enemy,
and, using another as a shield, he forced most of the survivors to surrender.
This officer cleared several other dug outs either alone or with his remaining
man, taking about fifty prisoners in all. Later, he consolidated his position
with great skill, and personally wired his front under heavy close range
sniping in broad daylight, when all others had failed to do so. The complete
success of the attack in this part of the line was mainly due to 2/Lieutenant
Colvin's leadership and courage."
|
|
|
|