Edward John Mott VC DCM (4 July 1893 – 20 October 1967) was an

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recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

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and

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forces. Born in Drayton he enlisted in

The Border Regiment The Border Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, which was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot and the 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot. After service in ...

in 1910, and in 1915, took part in the ill-fated Dardanelles Expedition, after which he served in Egypt and then on the Western Front. He was 23 years old and a

Sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

in the 1st Battalion,

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

when he was awarded the VC. On 27 January 1917 south of

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, an attack by Sergeant Mott's company was held up at a strong-point by machine-gun fire. Although severely wounded in the eye, Sergeant Mott made a rush for the gun and after a fierce struggle seized the gunner and took him prisoner, capturing the gun. It was due to the dash and initiative of this NCO that the left flank attack succeeded.

The Medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed in the

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References

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
(Oxfordshire) {{DEFAULTSORT:Mott, Edward John 1893 births 1967 deaths Border Regiment soldiers British Army personnel of World War I Recipients of the Distinguished Conduct Medal British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross People from Vale of White Horse (district) British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Berkshire