Horace Augustus Curtis

Charging through the barrage, he silenced enemy machine guns

Horace Augustus Curtis was born at St Anthony in Roseland, Cornwall, on 7 March 1891. His father was a gamekeeper. Curtis worked in the china clay industry before volunteering in September 1914. Initially enlisted in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, he transferred to the Royal Dublin Fusiliers within days.

He landed at Gallipoli in August 1915 with the 7th Battalion and remained through the evacuation. Subsequent service took him to Macedonia, Egypt and Palestine. He rose to sergeant and was mentioned in despatches in 1917. In 1918 he went to France, where the remnants of his battalion were absorbed into the 2nd Battalion. A period of illness interrupted his service before he returned to the front.

On 18 October 1918, east of Le Cateau, Curtis advanced through his own supporting barrage and attacked enemy machine-gun positions. He killed the crews of two guns. Four further guns and their crews surrendered as a result of his attack. He then helped capture a large party of enemy soldiers associated with a train. His actions overcame weapons that were obstructing the advance and brought substantial numbers of prisoners into British hands.

His Victoria Cross was gazetted in January 1919 and presented by King George V in March. He returned to the clay industry, and his fellow workers raised money in recognition of his service. In 1920 he rejoined the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, eventually serving as a company sergeant major before leaving in 1923.

That year he married Rose Phillips; they had a daughter. During the Second World War he commanded the Home Guard at St Newlyn East. He died at Redruth on 1 July 1968 and was cremated at Penmount.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty East of Le Cateau on the morning of the 18th October, 1918, when in attack his platoon came unexpectedly under intense machinegun fire. Realising that the attack would fail unless the enemy guns were silenced, Sjt. Curtis, without hesitation, rushed forward through our own barrage and the enemy fire, and killed and wounded the teams of two of the guns, whereupon the remaining four guns surrendered. Then, turning his attention to a train-load of reinforcements, he succeeded in capturing over 100 enemy before his comrades joined him. His valour and disregard of danger inspired all.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 3 January 1919. 6 January 1919, Numb. 31108, p. 307