Laurence Calvert (16 February 1892 – 6 July 1964) was an
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
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
British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
and
Commonwealth forces.
Calvert was 26 years old, and a
sergeant in the
5th Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry,
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 ...
during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
when, on 12 September 1918 at
Havrincourt
Havrincourt () is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in Hauts-de-France in France. The inhabitants are called ''Havrincourtois''.
Situation
The village lies about 14 kilometres south-west of Cambrai near the Havrincourt service area on ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
at the
Battle of Havrincourt
The Battle of Havrincourt was a World War I battle fought on 12 September 1918, involving the British Third Army (under the command of General Sir Julian Byng) against German troops, including those of the 3rd and 10th Corps, in the town of Havrin ...
, the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. The full citation was published in a supplement to the ''London Gazette'' of 12 November 1918 (dated 15 November 1918):
He was also awarded the
Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
(MM), and the Belgian
Order of Leopold (with palm), in the grade of Chevalier.
The Medal
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the
Imperial War Museum, London.
References
External links
Location of grave and VC medal''(Essex)''
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calvert, Laurence
1892 births
1964 deaths
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry soldiers
British Army personnel of World War I
British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
Recipients of the Military Medal
British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross
Military personnel from Leeds