John Rouse Merriott Chard

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

CHARD, John Rouse Merriott (Reg. No 203)

Lieutenant. Corps of Royal Engineers VC London Gazetted on 2nd May 1879 Born on 21st December 1847 at Pathe, Bridgewater, Somerset.

Died on 1st November 1897 at, The Rectory, Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset.

Memorials on grave and stained glass window at St. John the Baptist's Church, Hatch Beauchamp; Othery Church, Somerset; Rochester Cathedral, Kent; John Chard VC House, TA Centre, Swansea.

Digest of Citation reads: On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rourke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, Lieutenant Chard shared the command of the defenders of the post with Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead (Reg. No.124) of the 2nd Battn. 24th Regiment, setting a fine example and conducting himself with great gallantry in most trying circumstances.

Additional information: John R. M .CHARD was Born on the 21st of December 1847. He was the son of Mr. W. W. Chard of Pathe, Somerset and Mount Tamar, Devon He was educated at Plymouth New Grammar School Cheltenham, and then at Woolwich. He join the Corps of Royal Engineers in 1868. Whilst he was serving in Bermuda the Zulu Wars began and he was shipped to South Africa. Whilst serving at Rorke's Drift, Natal, he was awarded the Victoria Cross along with Lieutenant Bromhead. London Gazette, 2nd May 1879 stated: J.M.R. Chard, Lieut. (Now Captain and Brevet Major) and G. Bromhead, Lieut. (Now Captain and Brevet Major) 2nd Battn. 24th Regt. For their gallant conduct at the defence of Rourke's Drift, on the occasion of the attack, by the Zulus on the 22nd and 23rd of January 1879 Queen Victoria caused the names of Lieutenants Chard, Bromhead, Melvill and Coghill, (the latter two getting the VC for gallantry at Islandhlwana) to be inscribed on the colour pole of the 24th Regiment. Not long after the siege of Rourke's Drift, John Chard became ill with fever and was sent to Ladysmith to recuperate. When well he was able to take part in the Battle of Ulundi. Nearing the end of 1879 he was ordered home where he received a telegram from the Queen to join her at Balmoral. Colonel Chard retired from the Army in August 1897 to Hatch Beauchamp ,Somerset, where he died at the Rectory, three months later on November the 1st that year of Cancer of the tongue. The Memorial on his grave reads: COL. J.R.M.CHARD V.C. R.E. THE HERO OF RORKE'S DRIFT.

BORN 21. DEC. 1847. DIED 1. NOV.1897. SON OF W.W.CHARD OF PATHE, SOMERSET AND MOUNT TAMAR, DEVON

CHARLTON, Edward Colquhoun, (Reg. No 204.) Guardsman 2nd Battalion Irish Guards London Gazetted on 2nd May 1945 VC Medal's Custodian is the Guards Regimental HQ Born on 15th June 1920 at Rowland's Gill, Durham.

Died on 21st April 1945 at Elsdorf, Germany.

Memorials at his grave in Becklingen War Cemetery and at St. John's Church, Old Trafford, Manchester.

Digest of Citation reads: On 21 April 1945 at Wistedt, Germany, Guardsman Charlton was a co-driver of one tank of a troop which, with a platoon of infantry, captured the village. When shortly afterwards, all the tanks were hit in a fierce enemy attack, and the infantry were in danger of being over-run, Guardsman Charlton, on his own initiative, seized a Browning and advanced firing from the hip, inflicting such heavy casualties that the enemy were halted. Although wounded in the left arm the guardsman mounted his gun on a fence and continued firing even when wounded again. He Died on later, but his gallantry had saved a desperate situation