George William Burdett Clare
Private, 5th Lancers (Royal Irish)
- Register No.
- 216 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 5th Lancers (Royal Irish) (register: 5th Royal Irish Lancers) all 5th Royal Irish Lancers VCs →
- Date of action
- 28–29 November 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 11th January, 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Born
- 18th May 1889 at St Ives, Huntingdonshire
- Died
- 29th November 1917 at Bourlon Wood, France. (killed in
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Cambrai Memorial, France; St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire and on the War Memorial, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
Digest of citation
On 28th/29th November, 1917 at Bourlon Wood, France, Private Clare, a stretcher bearer, dressed wounds and conducted the wounded to the dressing station under the most intense fire. At one period, when all the garrison of a detached post had become casualties, he crossed to them through very heavy fire and having dressed all the cases, manned the posts single-handed until relief could be sent. Then, after carrying a seriously wounded man through the intense fire to the dressing station, he went, still under heavy fire, to every company post warning them but the enemy were using gas shells. This gallant soldier was subsequently killed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
CLARE, George William Burdett. (reg No. 216).
Private 5th Lancers (Royal Irish)
London Gazetted on 11th January, 1918.
Born on 18th May 1889 at St Ives, Huntingdonshire.
Died on 29th November 1917 at Bourlon Wood, France. (killed in action)
Memorials at Cambrai Memorial, France; St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire and on the War Memorial, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire.
Digest of Citation reads: On 28th/29th November, 1917 at Bourlon Wood, France, Private Clare, a stretcher bearer, dressed wounds and conducted the wounded to the dressing station under the most intense fire. At one period, when all the garrison of a detached post had become casualties, he crossed to them through very heavy fire and having dressed all the cases, manned the posts single-handed until relief could be sent. Then, after carrying a seriously wounded man through the intense fire to the dressing station, he went, still under heavy fire, to every company post warning them but the enemy were using gas shells. This gallant soldier was subsequently killed.
action)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: Cambrai Memorial, France; St Peter's and St Paul's Church, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire and on the War Memorial, Chatteris, Cambridgeshire
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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