David Philip Hirsch
Captain, 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. (Princess Alexandra of Wales' Own)
- Register No.
- 573 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Captain (register: Acting Captain) all Captains →
- Unit
- 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. (Princess Alexandra of Wales' Own) (register: Green Howards) all Green Howards VCs →
- Date of action
- 23 April 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 14th June 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 28th December 1896 at Leeds, Yorkshire
- Died
- 23rd April, 1917 at a Wancourt, France
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- on Arras Memorial, France
Digest of citation
On 23rd April, 1917 near Wancourt, France, during an attack, Captain Hirsch having arrived at the first objective, although wounded, returned over fire-swept slopes to satisfy himself that the defensive flank was being established. Machine-gun fire was so intense that it was necessary for him to be continuously up and down the line encouraging and steadying his men. He stood on the parapet, in the face of machine-gun fire and counter-attacked, until he was killed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HIRSCH, David Philip. (reg No. 573)
Captain. 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment. (Princess Alexandra of Wales' Own).
London Gazetted on 14th June 1917.
Born on 28th December 1896 at Leeds, Yorkshire.
Died on 23rd April, 1917 at a Wancourt, France.
Memorial on Arras Memorial, France.
Digest of Citation reads: On 23rd April, 1917 near Wancourt, France, during an attack, Captain Hirsch having arrived at the first objective, although wounded, returned over fire-swept slopes to satisfy himself that the defensive flank was being established. Machine-gun fire was so intense that it was necessary for him to be continuously up and down the line encouraging and steadying his men. He stood on the parapet, in the face of machine-gun fire and counter-attacked, until he was killed.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: on Arras Memorial, France
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