Claude Charles Castleton
Sergeant, 5th Machine Gun Corps, Australian Imperial Force
- Register No.
- 194 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 5th Machine Gun Corps, Australian Imperial Force all 5th Machine Gun Corps VCs →
- Date of action
- 28–29 July 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 26th September 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- 12th April 1893 at Kirkley, Lowestoft, Suffolk
- Died
- 29th July 1916 near Pozieres, France. (killed in action)
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Pozieres British Cemetery, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
- Medal held by
- the Australian War Memorial, Canberra,
Digest of citation
On 28th/29th July, 1916 near Pozieres, France, during a night attack the infantry was temporarily driven back by a deep intense machine-gun fire from the enemy trenches. Many wounded were left in " no man's land '' lying in shell holes. Sergeant Castleton went out twice in the face of this intense fire, and each time brought in a wounded man on his back. He went out a third time and was bringing in another wounded man when he himself was hit in the back and killed instantly
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CASTLETON, Claude Charles. (reg No. 194).
Sergeant 5th Machine Gun Corps, Australian Imperial Force.
London Gazetted on 26th September 1916.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Born on 12th April 1893 at Kirkley, Lowestoft, Suffolk.
Died on 29th July 1916 near Pozieres, France. (killed in action)
Memorials at Pozieres British Cemetery, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 28th/29th July, 1916 near Pozieres, France, during a night attack the infantry was temporarily driven back by a deep intense machine-gun fire from the enemy trenches. Many wounded were left in " no man's land '' lying in shell holes. Sergeant Castleton went out twice in the face of this intense fire, and each time brought in a wounded man on his back. He went out a third time and was bringing in another wounded man when he himself was hit in the back and killed instantly.
Australia.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Pozieres British Cemetery, France and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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