CHARLES ERNEST GARFORTH VC

BORN: 23^rd October 1891, Willesden Green, London. Son of John and Hannah Garforth.

1901 Census: They lived at Victor Cottage, No 73 St.Hildas Road, Harrow, along with six children:-

Emily A Garforth aged 19

John E Garforth aged 11

Charles E Garforth aged 9

Thomas D Garforth aged 7

Nellie C Garforth aged 6

Amy F Garforth aged 1

James G Garforth aged 10months

SERVED: 15^th Hussars (THE KINGS)

6 September 1914, near Danmartin, Corporal Garforth was out on patrol. The patrol came under heavy fire, and was forced to retire. Sergeant Scatterfield's horse was shot, and the Sergeant was lying under his horse. Garforth went forward under heavy fire, pulled the Sergeant from under his horse, and took him to a place of safety.

On the following day, 7 September 1914, when on patrol, Sergeant Lewis had his horse shot, and was on foot under machine-gun fire. Garforth drew the fire of the machine-guns onto himself, and engaged the machine-guns with his rifle fire, thus enabling the Sergeant to get away under cover.

When the British armies were moving on to the line at La Bassee - Ypres, Corporal Garforth was on patrol with Captain Bradshaw near Laventie; the patrol found itself surrounded and the Officer and seven men were killed. Garforth held out until all his ammunition was expended; at that time Divisional Cavalry had not been given bayonets and Corporal Garforth was thus unarmed, and was taken prisoner on 13 October 1914.

He was first sent to Hamelin-on-Weser, and transferred from there to Bohmte, from which place he made three attempts to escape. On each occasion he reached the German - Dutch frontier but was always recaptured. He was finally sent to The Netherlands on 19 March 1918, and repatriated to England on 18 November 1918, rejoining his Regiment, 15th Hussars, in Kerpen, near Cologne, on 4 August 1919.

DATE OF GAZETTE: 16th November, 1914.

V.C. CITATION: On 23rd August 1914, at Harmingnies, France, whilst under heavy fire, he volunteered to cut barbed wire, allowing his squadron to escape. On 2nd September 1914, he extricated a Sergeant who was lying under his dead horse, whilst under constant fire and carried him to safety. The following day Corporal Garforth drew off enemy fire to allow another Sergeant to escape.

His Victoria Cross and other medals are displayed at the Imperial War Museum, London.

DIED: 1^st July, 1973.

CREMATED: Upon his death he was cremated. No monument or headstone was erected, and he technically had no grave. This was rectified on 30th August, 2008, when a headstone was dedicated to him at Wilford Hill Cemetery, Nottingham, where his ashes had been scattered.

Medal entitlement of

Sergeant Charles Ernest GARFORTH
15th Hussars (The King's)

Victoria Cross

1914 Star + clasp 5th Aug-22nd Nov 1914

British War Medal 1914 -1920

Victory Medal 1914 – 1919 &  MiD Oakleaf

King George VI Coronation Medal 1937

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953