Edward Colquhoun Charlton VC (15 June 1920 – 21 April 1945) was an English 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. Charlton was a

guardsman Guardsman is a rank used instead of private in some military units that serve as the official bodyguard of a sovereign or head of state. It is also used as a generic term for any member of a guards unit of any rank. Canada In the Canadian Fo ...

in the 2nd Battalion,

Irish Guards The Irish Guards (IG) is one of the Foot guards#United Kingdom, Foot Guards regiments of the British Army and is part of the Guards Division. Together with the Royal Irish Regiment (1992), Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish infant ...

, Guards Armoured Division,

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

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. On 21 April 1945 Guardsman Charlton was a co-driver of one tank of a troop that was supporting an infantry platoon. They occupied the village of Wistedt,

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, which a unit from Panzergrenadier Regiment 115, part of the 15th Panzergrenadier Division, attempted to re-take. The numerically superior German forces consisted largely of officer cadets under the command of experienced instructor officers, supported by two or three self-propelled guns. Three of the four Irish Guards tanks were badly hit, while Charlton's had already been disabled by a complete electrical failure before the attack began. Charlton was ordered to dismount the turret 0.30 Browning machine gun and support the infantry. The Irish Guards were in danger of being overrun. Charlton, on his own initiative, took the machine gun and advanced in full view of the attacking Germans, firing from the hip and inflicting heavy casualties. The lead German company was halted, which gave the rest of the Guards a respite in which to reorganise and retire. He continued firing, even when he was wounded in his left arm. Charlton placed the machine gun on a fence, where he launched a further attack, before his left arm was hit again, becoming shattered and useless. Charlton fought on, until a further wound and loss of blood resulted in the guardsman collapsing. His stand enabled the rest of the Irish Guards troop and infantry to escape. He later died of the wounds in enemy hands. Charlton was awarded a posthumous

, the last Victoria Cross of the European theatre, and the last awarded to a member of the Irish Guards. Unusually, much of the citation was based on German accounts of the fight, as most of his later actions had not been witnessed by any of the Guards officers or surviving non-commissioned officers.Whiting, page 87 His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ), Wellington Barracks, London, England. A road is named after Charlton in Firswood,

Greater Manchester Greater Manchester is a ceremonial county in North West England. It borders Lancashire to the north, Derbyshire and West Yorkshire to the east, Cheshire to the south, and Merseyside to the west. Its largest settlement is the city of Manchester. ...

, near where he lived.

Notes

References

* *"Europe's Last VC – Guardsman Edward Charlton", '' After the Battle'' (magazine) No. 49, 1985. Contains additional memoirs of the surviving Irish Guards officers and men and German officers which correct the original citation.

External links

CWGC entry
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Charlton, Edward Colquhoun 1920 births 1945 deaths People from Rowlands Gill Irish Guards soldiers British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross British Army personnel killed in World War II British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross British World War II prisoners of war World War II prisoners of war held by Germany Military personnel from Tyne and Wear