Ernest Albert Egerton

He charged through heavy fire to clear hidden enemy dugouts.

Ernest Albert Egerton was born on 10 November 1897 at Longton, Staffordshire. Educated locally, he worked as a haulage hand at Florence Colliery before joining the North Staffordshire Regiment in November 1915. He went to France in autumn 1916 and transferred to the 16th (Chatsworth Rifles) Battalion, Sherwood Foresters. Promotion to lance corporal followed in February 1917 and to corporal that August.

On 20 September 1917, near Bulgar Wood, east of Zillebeke, Belgium, fog and smoke concealed German dugouts from the leading British troops. Fire from the bypassed positions caused severe casualties among the following waves. When volunteers were called for, Egerton rushed forward through close-range fire and shot three enemy soldiers. Reinforcements reached him and 29 Germans surrendered, ending the immediate danger. His action earned the Victoria Cross.

King George V presented his decoration at Buckingham Palace on 5 December 1917, and Egerton received an enthusiastic welcome in his home district. Returning to France, he was badly gassed during the German spring offensive of 1918. He became a sergeant in May. Sent home for officer training that August, he decided against a commission and instead served as an instructor. On 1 September 1918 he married Elsie May Gimbert at Forsbrook.

Tuberculosis brought his army career to an end. Discharged as medically unfit on 25 April 1919, he underwent treatment and retrained as a gamekeeper at Preston Hall, Aylesford, Kent. His recovery allowed him to rebuild a civilian working life. After attempting to sell handicrafts made by former servicemen, he became a bus conductor with the Potteries Electric Traction Company in 1924 and an inspector in 1928.

During the Second World War Egerton served in the Home Guard. He also worked in security at the Rootes aircraft factory at Blythe Bridge and later as a lodge man in the local pottery industry. He died at home in Blythe Bridge on 14 February 1966, aged 68, and was buried in St Peter's churchyard, Forsbrook.

Official Victoria Cross citation London Gazette, supplement dated 26 November 1917, issue 30400, pages 12328–12329.

No. 71130 Cpl. Ernest Albert Egerton, Notts. & Derby. R. (Longton).

For most conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty when, during attack, owing to fog and smoke, visibility was obscured, and, in consequence thereof, the two leading waves of the attack passed over certain hostile dug-outs without clearing them. Enemy rifles, assisted by a machine-gun, were, from these dug-outs, inflicting severe casualties on the advancing waves. When volunteers were called for to assist in clearing up the situation, Cpl. Egerton at once jumped up and dashed for the dug-outs under heavy fire at short range.

He shot in succession a rifleman, a bomber and a gunner, by which time he was supported and 29 of the enemy surrendered.

The reckless bravery of this N.C.O. relieved in less than thirty seconds an extremely difficult situation. His gallantry is beyond all praise.