Colour Sergeant

ANTHONY CLARKE BOOTH VC

BORN: 21^st April 1846, Carrington, Nottingham. Son of William, Lace worker, and Sarah Booth aged 33 and 36 respectively.

The 1851 Census lists

Herbert C Booth aged 10

Mary E Booth aged 9

Sarah E Booth aged 7

Anthony C Booth aged 4                                      

Lucy H Booth aged 1

Elizabeth Clarke, Mother in law, aged 73

Shamus Clarke, Brother in law, aged 38

All living at No 3 Club Row, Bulwell Lane, Nottingham.

1891 Census: Has Anthony living at 19 Hall Street, Brierley Hill, Dudley, with his wife Lucy and 4 children.

Florence Booth aged 17

Harry Booth aged 15

Andrew Booth aged 9 born in Tralee, Kerry, Ireland

Albert Booth aged 7 born in Tralee, Kerry, Ireland

1901 census: Has Anthony’s wife Lucy, living at 56 High Street, Brierley Hill, Staffordshire, with their two sons.

Andrew Booth was 19, a Glassmaker, and listed as being born in Ireland.

Albert Booth was 17, an Ironworks Clerk, also listed as being born in Ireland.

SERVED: Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers). Later the South Staffs Regiment.

DATE OF GAZETTE: 23^rd February, 1880.

V.C. CITATION: On the 12th March 1879 on the Intombe River, South Africa (Zulu War), during an attack by a very large number of the enemy, Colour Sergeant Booth rallied a few men on the south bank of the river and covered the retreat of 50 soldiers and others for a distance of three miles. Had it not been for the coolness displayed by Colour Sergeant Booth, not one man would have escaped.

The London Gazette has him as a Colour Sergeant, but on the day of the Battle of Ntombe, (or Battle of Intombe), he was actually a Sergeant. His promotion came the following day to replace a Colour Sergeant killed in the action. The gazetting of his VC was delayed due to the fact the surviving officer from the action, Lt. Henry Hollingworth Harward, was court-martialled for cowardice. The trial commenced on 20 February 1880, and concluded on 27 February 1880. During the course of the trial, Booth's award appeared in the London Gazette on 24 February 1880.

BURIED: St.Micheal’s R.C. Churchyard, Brierley Hill, Dudley.

DIED: 8^th December, 1899.