Wilbur Taylor Dartnell
Lieutenant, 25th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
- Register No.
- 303 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant (register: Temp. Lieutenant) all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 25th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers all Royal Fusiliers VCs →
- Date of action
- 3 September 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 23rd December, 1915 on this day → all of 1915 →
- Born
- 6th April, 1885 at Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia
- Died
- 3rd September, 1915 at Maktau, South Africa. (killed in
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- at Voi Cemetery, Kenya, Africa, also on a plaque in the foyer of the Covent Garden Theatre and on the Australian War Memorial at Canberra, Australia
- Medal held by
- the Australian War Memorial, Canberra,
Digest of citation
On 3rd September 1915, near Maktau, East Africa, during a mounted infantry engagement, at the enemy were so close that it was impossible to get the more severely wounded away. Lieutenant Dartnell who was himself being carried away wounded in the leg, seeing the situation, and knowing that the enemy's black troops murdered the wounded, insisted on being left behind, in the hope of being able to save the lives of other wounded men. He gave his own life in a gallant attempt to save others
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
DARTNELL, Wilbur Taylor. (reg No. 303).
Lieutenant. 25th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.
London Gazetted on 23rd December, 1915.
VC Medal's Custodian is the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Born on 6th April, 1885 at Fitzroy, Melbourne, Australia.
Died on 3rd September, 1915 at Maktau, South Africa. (killed in action).
Memorial on grave at Voi Cemetery, Kenya, Africa, also on a plaque in the foyer of the Covent Garden Theatre and on the Australian War Memorial at Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: On 3rd September 1915, near Maktau, East Africa, during a mounted infantry engagement, at the enemy were so close that it was impossible to get the more severely wounded away. Lieutenant Dartnell who was himself being carried away wounded in the leg, seeing the situation, and knowing that the enemy's black troops murdered the wounded, insisted on being left behind, in the hope of being able to save the lives of other wounded men. He gave his own life in a gallant attempt to save others.
Australia.
action).
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Voi Cemetery, Kenya, Africa, also on a plaque in the foyer of the Covent Garden Theatre and on the Australian War Memorial at 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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