Gallantry Awards
Eight members of the Regiment have either won the Victoria or George Cross Medal.
In order that the actions of these gallant men are remembered, the vehicles of the RTR Reconnaissance Troop are named after them.
Captain C Robertson VC
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the Third Battle of Ypres
From 30 September to 3 October 1917 this officer worked without a break, under heavy fire, preparing a route for his tanks to go into action against Reutel. He finished late on the night of October 3 and at once led his tanks up to the starting point for the attack. He brought them safely up by 0300 on 4 October and at 0600 led them into action. The ground was very bad and heavily broken by shellfire and the road demolished for 500 yards. Captain Robertson, knowing the risk to the tanks missing their way, continued to lead them on foot. In addition to the heavy shellfire, an intense machine gun and rifle fire was directed at the tanks. Although knowing that his action would almost inevitably cost him his life, Captain Robertson deliberately continued to lead the tanks, when well ahead of our own infantry, guiding them patiently and carefully towards their objective. Just as they reached the road a bullet through the head killed him; but his objective had been reached, and the tanks in consequence were able to fight a very successful action.
By his very gallant devotion Captain Robertson deliberately sacrificed his life to make certain the success of his tanks.
Captain P J Gardner VC, MC
On the morning of 23 November 1941, Captain Gardner was ordered to take two tanks to the assistance of two Armoured Cars of the King’s Dragoon Guards, which were out of action and under fire in close proximity to the enemy southeast of Tobruk.
He found the two cars halted 200 yards apart, being heavily fired on at close range and gradually smashed to pieces. Ordering the other tank to give him covering fire, Captain Gardner manoeuvred his own up to the foremost car; he then dismounted in the face of intense anti-tank and machine gun fire and secured a tow rope to the car. Seeing an officer lying beside it with his legs blown off, he lifted him into the car and gave the order to tow. The towrope, however, broke, and despite his wounds he lifted the other officer out of the car and carried him back to the tank, placing him on the back engine louvers and climbing alongside to hold him on. While the tank was being driven back to safety it was subjected to heavy shellfire and the loader was killed.
The courage, determination and complete disregard for his own safety displayed by Captain Gardner enabled him, despite his wounds, and in the face of intense fire at close range, to save the life of his fellow officer, in circumstances fraught with great difficulty and danger.
Lieutenant (A/Capt) R W L Wain VC
For most conspicuous gallantry in action near Marcoing on November 20, 1917, while in command of a section of tanks
During the attack, the tank which he was in became disabled by a direct hit near a German strong point in the Hindenburg Support Line at l.34 a 3.6 which was holding up the attack. Captain Wain and one man were the only survivors, and they were both seriously wounded. While the infantry were held up there, this officer, in spite of his wounds, rushed from behind the tank in front of the enemy strong point, taking about half the Garrison prisoners. Although his wounds were very serious, Captain Wain picked up a rifle and continued to fire at the retiring enemy until he received a fatal wound in the head. Through bleeding profusely from wounds, this gallant officer refused attention of stretcher bearers in order to carry on clearing the enemy out of the strong point. It was due to this most gallant act by this officer that the infantry were able to advance.
Lieutenant C H Sewell VC
Lieutenant Cecil Howard Sewell of the 3rd Battalion was awarded the Victoria Cross on the afternoon of the 29 August 1918, while in command of a section of Whippets.
Lt Sewell displayed the greatest gallantry and initiative in getting out of his own tank and crossing open ground under heavy shell and machine gun fire to rescue the crew of another whippet of his Section which had side slipped into a large shell hole, over turned and taking fire. The door of the tank had become jammed against the side of the shell hole. Lt Sewell, by his own unaided efforts, dug away the entrance to the door and released the crew. In doing so he undoubtedly saved the lives of the officers and men inside the tank, as they would not have got out without his assistance. After having extricated this crew, seeing one of his own crew lying wounded behind his tank, he again dashed across open ground to his assistance. He was hit while doing so but succeeded in reaching the tank; a few minutes later he was fatally hit in the act of dressing his wounded driver. During the whole of this period he was in full view and short range of enemy machine gun and rifle pits and throughout, by his prompt and heroic action showed an utter disregard for his own personal safety.
Lieutenant Colonel H R B Foote VC, CB, DSO
For outstanding gallantry during the period 27 May to 15 June, 1942.
On 6 June, Lieutenant Colonel Foote led his Battalion, which had been subjected to very heavy artillery fire, in pursuit of a superior force of the enemy. While changing to another tank after his own had been knocked out, Lieutenant Colonel Foote was wounded in the neck. In spite of this, he continued to lead his Battalion from the exposed position on the outside of the tank. The enemy, who were holding a strongly entrenched position with anti-tank guns, attacked his flank. As a further tank had been disabled he continued on foot under intense fire encouraging his men by his splendid example. By dusk, Lieutenant Colonel Foote by his brilliant leadership had defeated the enemy’s attempt to encircle two of our divisions.
On 13 June, when ordering to delay the enemy tanks so that the Guards Brigade could be withdrawn from the Knightsbridge escarpment and when the first wave of our tanks had been destroyed, Lieutenant Colonel Foote re-organised the remaining tanks, going on foot from one tank to another to encourage the crews under intense artillery and anti-tank fire.
As it was of a vital importance that his Battalion should not give ground, Lieutenant Colonel Foote placed his tank, its guns rendered useless, in front of the others so that he could be plainly visible in the turret as an encouragement to the other crews. By this magnificent example the corridor was kept open and the Brigade was able to march through.
Lieutenant Colonel Foote was always at the crucial point at the right moment, and over a period of several days gave an example of outstanding courage and leadership which it would have been difficult to surpass. His name was a byword for bravery and leadership throughout the Brigade.
Lieutenant Colonel R A West VC, *DSO, MC
For conspicuous bravery and brilliant leadership at Courcelles near Vaux Vracourt.
Lieutenant Colonel R A West was awarded the Victoria Cross on 2 September 1918, having already been awarded the DSO and bar and the MC. His citation reads as follows:
“On 21 August, during the attack on Courcelles, the infantry having lost their bearings in the dense fog, this officer at once took charge of any men he could find. He reorganised them and led them on horseback through the village on to their objective in the face of heavy machine gun fire. He had two horses shot from under him during the morning. Throughout the whole action he displayed the utterest disregard of danger, and the capture of the village was in great part due to his initiative and gallantry.
On 2 September it was intended that a battalion of light tanks under command of this officer should exploit the initial infantry and heavy tank attack. He therefore rode forward on horseback to our front infantry line in order to keep in touch with the progress of the battle and to be in a position at the front line when the enemy were in process of delivering a local counter-attack. The infantry battalion had suffered heavy officer casualties and its flanks were exposed. Realising that there was a danger of the battalion giving way, he at once rode out in front of them under extremely heavy machine gun fire and rifle fire and rallied the men. In spite of the fact that the enemy were close upon him, he took charge of the situation and detailed non-commissioned officers to replace the officer casualties. He then rode up and down in front of them in face of certain death, encouraging the men and calling to them: ‘Stick it men, show them fight, and for God’s sake put up a good fight’. He fell riddled by machine gun bullets. The magnificent bravery of this very gallant officer at the critical moment inspired the infantry to redoubled efforts and undoubtedly saved the situation. The hostile attack was defeated.”
Lieutenant St J G Young GC
On 23 July 1944, Lieutenant St John Graham Young RTR, who was then serving with the Central India Horse, was in command of a patrol ordered to occupy a hill. At about 2200 hrs as the patrol neared its objective, explosions were heard at very close range. Young thought they were under mortar fire and ordered a withdrawal to the previous bound but, while they were doing so, more explosions were heard in their midst. Young realised that they had run into a minefield and ordered everyone to stay still until daylight- it was a moonless night and the country was both scrub and broken.
After about 2 hours, one of the patrol, who had been wounded and was now in great pain, started calling for help. Young immediately began crawling forward, telling everyone else to stay where they were. He went forward, probing in front with his fingers and managed to find and render safe three Schu mines. Getting closer he realised that he had to alter course slightly and as he did so knelt on a Schu mine which blew off his right leg. Immediately he told the patrol he had been wounded but that everyone was to stay where they were. He then continued to crawl towards the wounded man, whom he found unconscious, and applied a dressing to the man’s thigh, which had been shattered by a Schu mine. It was now about 0100.
Until almost 0600 when the Regimental Medical Officer found him he continued to command his Patrol. He was then sitting up giving orders to his patrol indicating the way and supervising the evacuation of the wounded. He lost consciousness after 0600 and died that evening. His citation for the George Cross says:
“Lieutenant Young, by crawling forward into an area he knew to be thickly mined in order to help one of his patrol showed the greatest personnel courage and contempt for danger. And later, throughout the long period of five hours from the time when he was wounded to the moment he lost consciousness, this young officer, by his inspiring leadership, cheerfulness and disregard for pain, maintained complete control of his patrol. It was a direct result of his determination to the end that the remaining members of the Patrol reached safety. In thus laying down his life, Lieutenant Young showed that he understood the limitless responsibilities of a leader and that with great heart, he accepted them.”
Young’s story was shared in The Victor, edition 267, 1966.
Private F Naughton
Private Frank Naughton, of 10th Light Tank Company, was awarded the Empire Gallantry Medal on 1 February 1937 when, with complete disregard for his own safety, he rescued Lance Corporal S Temple from the flooded Indayani River near Moshi on 5 August 1936. In September 1940 the George Cross by Royal Warrant superseded this award.