Victoria Cross recipients commemorated by the CWGC

On this day, 29 January, in 1856 the Victoria Cross was introduced by Queen Victoria to honour acts of valour during the Crimean War. Since then, the medal has been awarded to more than 1,300 recipients for gallantry of the highest order. The CWGC commemorates more than 370 men awarded the medal who died during the First and Second World War.

Lieutenant-Commander Geoffrey Saxton White, who served with the Royal Navy, is one of the recipients commemorated by the Commission. He was awarded the VC 100 years ago this week for his actions while commanding H.M Submarine E.14 in the Dardanelles, Turkey. The London Gazette reported:

“For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as Commanding Officer of H.M. Submarine E.14. on the 28th of January, 1918. E.14. left Mudros on the 27th of January, under instructions to force the Narrows and attack the "Goeben," which was reported aground off Nagara Point after being damaged during her sortie from the Dardanelles. The latter vessel was not found and E.14. turned back. At about 8.45 a.m. on the 28th of January a torpedo was fired from E.14. at an enemy ship; 11 seconds after the torpedo left the tube a heavy explosion took place, caused all the lights to go out, and sprang the fore hatch. Leaking badly the boat was blown to 15 feet, and at once a heavy fire came from the forts, but the hull was not hit. E.14. then dived and proceeded on her way out. 

“Soon afterwards the boat became out of control and as the air supply was nearly exhausted, Lieutenant-Commander White decided to run the risk of proceeding on the surface. Heavy fire was immediately opened from both sides, and, after running the gauntlet for half-an-hour, being steered from below, E.14. was so badly damaged that Lieutenant-Commander White turned towards the shore in order to give the crew a chance of being saved. He remained on deck the whole time himself until he was killed by a shell."

He is commemorated on the CWGC Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Second Lieutenant Moana-Nui-A-Kiwa Ngarimu, who served with the New Zealand Infantry, was posthumously awarded the VC 75 years ago this March for his actions in Tunisia. The London Gazette reported:

“During the attack at Tebaga Gap on 26th March 1943, Second Lieutenant Ngarimu commanded a platoon. He was first to reach the crest of the hill and himself destroyed two enemy machine-gun posts. The enemy counter-attacked, and in the course of hand-to-hand fighting, Lieutenant Ngarimu was twice wounded, but refused to leave his post. During the night the enemy succeeded in piercing the line; Lieutenant Ngarimu ran to the spot, killed some and drove back the rest with his tommy-gun and with stones, and led his men back to their old position. In the morning, he was killed while defying a further counter-attack.”

He is buried in Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia.

The Commission also commemorates Captain Noel Chavasse, who is one of very few people to be awarded a Victoria Cross twice. Read more about Chavasse here.