Fred Greaves
Corporal, 9th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters. (Notts and Derby Regiment)
- Register No.
- 486 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal (register: Acting Corporal) all Corporals →
- Unit
- 9th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters. (Notts and Derby Regiment) all Sherwood Foresters VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 October 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 26th November, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 16th May, 1890 at Killamarsh, Derbyshire
- Died
- 11th June 1973 at Chesterfield, Derbyshire
- Memorial / grave
- at Brimington, Derbyshire
- Medal held by
- the Sherwood Forester's Museum, Nottingham
Digest of citation
On 4th October 1917 at Poelcapelle, east of Ypres, Belgium, when the platoon was held up by machine-gun fire from a concrete stronghold and the platoon commander and sergeant were casualties, Corporal Greaves followed by another NCO, rushed forward, reached the rear of the building and bombed the occupants, killing or capturing the garrison and the machine-gun. Later, at a most critical period of the battles, during a heavy counter-attack, all the officers of the company became casualties and Corporal Greaves collected his men, threw out extra posts on the threatened flank and opened up rifle and machine-gun fire to enfilade their advance
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
GREAVES, Fred. (reg No. 486).
Corporal. 9th Battalion. Sherwood Foresters. (Notts and Derby Regiment).
London Gazetted 26th November, 1917.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Sherwood Forester's Museum, Nottingham Castle, Nottingham.
Born on 16th May, 1890 at Killamarsh, Derbyshire.
Died on 11th June 1973 at Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
Memorial on grave at Brimington, Derbyshire.
Digest of Citation reads: On 4th October 1917 at Poelcapelle, east of Ypres, Belgium, when the platoon was held up by machine-gun fire from a concrete stronghold and the platoon commander and sergeant were casualties, Corporal Greaves followed by another NCO, rushed forward, reached the rear of the building and bombed the occupants, killing or capturing the garrison and the machine-gun. Later, at a most critical period of the battles, during a heavy counter-attack, all the officers of the company became casualties and Corporal Greaves collected his men, threw out extra posts on the threatened flank and opened up rifle and machine-gun fire to enfilade their advance.
From Alf's photographs
Cpl. F. Greaves Medals (Nottingham Castle Museum) (gallery)
Castle, Nottingham.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Brimington, Derbyshire
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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