Victoria Cross: A. E. Curtis

ALBERT EDWARD CURTIS

Private, 2nd Battalion The East Surrey Regiment

Born: 6 January 1866, Guildford, Surrey
Died: 16 March 1940, North Barnet, Hertfordshire

Citation: On the 23rd February, 1900, Colonel Harris lay all day long in a perfectly open space under close fire of a Boer breastwork [at Onderbank Spruit, South Africa]. The Boers fired all day at any man who moved, and Colonel Harris was wounded eight or nine times.
Private Curtis, after several attempts succeeded in reaching the Colonel, bound his wounded arm, and gave him his flask–all under heavy fire.
He then tried to carry him away, but was unable, on which he called for assistance, and Private Morton came out at once. Fearing that the men would be killed, Colonel Harris told them to leave him, but they declined, and after trying to carry the Colonel on their rifles, they made a chair with their hands and so carried him out of fire.

(London Gazette Issue 27266 dated 15 Jan 1901, published 15 Jan 1901.)




Note: Private T W Morton was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal "in recognition of his gallant conduct in South Africa on the 23rd February, 1900."