Charles Alfred Jarvis VC (29 March 188119 November 1948) was a Scottish recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces. Jarvis was born in the Admiralty Buildings, Saltoun Place,

Fraserburgh Fraserburgh (; ), locally known as the Broch, is a town in Aberdeenshire (unitary), Aberdeenshire, Scotland, with a population recorded in the United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census as 13,100. It lies in Buchan in the northeastern corner of th ...

Aberdeenshire Aberdeenshire (; ) is one of the 32 Subdivisions of Scotland#council areas of Scotland, council areas of Scotland. It takes its name from the Shires of Scotland, historic county of Aberdeenshire (historic), Aberdeenshire, which had substantial ...

, on 29 March 1881. His father was a coastguard and also called Charles Alfred Jarvis. He lived most of his early life in Carnoustie, Angus, where there is now a memorial to him. He was also honoured by Fraserburgh in 2014. He joined the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

in 1899 and travelled with his unit to Singapore. He was transferred to the reserve in 1907. In civilian life, Jarvis was a metalworker and a member of the

Walthamstow Walthamstow ( or ) is a town within the London Borough of Waltham Forest in east London. The town borders Chingford to the north, Snaresbrook and South Woodford to the east, Leyton and Leytonstone to the south, and Tottenham to the west. At ...

Branch of the Amalgamated Society of Engineers. At the outbreak of World War I he was recalled to service. He was 33 years old, and a lance-corporal in the 57th Field Company, Royal Engineers,

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. Only three weeks into the war on 23 August 1914 at Jemappes,

Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...

, Lance-Corporal Jarvis worked for 1½ hours under heavy fire, in full view of the enemy and finally succeeded in firing charges for the demolition of a bridge. He was wounded in the process. Private Samuel Heron of the first battalion Royal Scots Fusiliers was also awarded a DCM for his part in this action. In 1915 he returned to Britain and was presented with his medal at Buckingham Palace. He was later promoted to second corporal and

corporal Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corr ...

before being discharged from the Army in 1917. He went on to work at the Naval Dockyard at Portsmouth. He returned to Dundee in 1941.

Early life

Soon after he was born, his father was transferred to Rattray Head Coastguard Station where the family stayed for eight years while Charles went to Crimond School. The family then moved to North Berwick where his father received the Royal Humane Society medal for bravery for rescuing two boys. His father was then transferred to Carnoustie where Charles completed his education in Carnoustie School.

Working life

After leaving school he was an apprentice plumber but was unable to complete due to the death of his mother and sister within a month and two years later his father died.

References

Bibliography

* *Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995) *

External links

Royal Engineers Museum
Sappers VCs

''(Fife)'' *

''(biography)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Jarvis, Charles British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Engineers soldiers British Army personnel of World War I 1881 births 1948 deaths Black Watch soldiers People from Fraserburgh British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross People associated with Angus, Scotland People associated with Dundee Military personnel from Aberdeenshire