Lieutenant Colonel Philip Eric Bent (3 January 1891 – 1 October 1917) was a

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officer 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

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and

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forces.

Biography

Bent was born on 3 January 1891 in Halifax,

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and was educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh and Ashby Grammar School, Ashby de la Zouch. He joined the training ship in 1907. He served two years as a Cadet and then went to sea. He was taking his Merchant Navy officer's ticket when the war broke out in 1914. He and a friend joined a Scottish regiment "for a bit of fun" as the war was anticipated to be over by Christmas. He was commissioned in the Leicestershire Regiment,

, in November 1914. Bent was awarded the

Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a Military awards and decorations, military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful ...

in the 1917 Birthday Honours. He was 26 years old, and Temporary Lieutenant Colonel commanding the 9th (Service) Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, 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 he performed the deed for which he was awarded the VC on 1 October 1917 east of Polygon Wood,

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. He was killed whilst leading a charge. His citation reads: He has no known grave and is commemorated on the memorial wall at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.Bent, Philip Eric
Commonwealth War Graves Commission In 2015 a new road in Ashby de la Zouch was named "Philip Bent Road"; this is located approximately 0.6 miles west of the town centre off Moira Road (B5006). Bent's sword is displayed in All Saints Cathedral in his hometown of Halifax.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is held by his old school Ashby School but loaned to the Royal Leicestershire Regimental Museum (now part of Newarke Houses Museum). It is understood that the medal has been held in a Safe Deposit Box at a Leicester Bank where it has been kept for many years following the demise of the Museum.The contents of the Museum were transferred to Newarke Houses Museum, Leicester , url=https://www.memorialstovalour.co.uk/vc887.html, , The school proposed to auction his medals to raise funds for a sports pavilion, a decision which received widespread criticism. In May 2016 the school was unable to prove ownership. In 2018, a pavilion is set to be built following a funding bid to the Healthy Schools initiative.

References

Bibliography

External links

Service details, citation, burial information - from Veteran Affairs Canada

Legion Magazine Article on Philip Bent
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bent, Philip Eric 1891 births 1917 deaths Royal Leicestershire Regiment officers British Army personnel of World War I Canadian sailors Canadian people of British descent Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Companions of the Distinguished Service Order People educated at the Royal High School, Edinburgh British military personnel killed in World War I British Army recipients of the Victoria Cross Military personnel from Halifax, Nova Scotia

Biography

The medal

See also

References

Bibliography

External links