Personal info
- Name: Charles Ernest GARFORTH
- D.O.B: 23rd Oct, 1891
- D.O.A: 23rd Aug, 1914
- D.O.D: 1st Jul, 1973
- Award: Victoria Cross
- Occupation at time of action: Corporal, 15th (The King’s) Hussars, 3rd Division
- Book: The Complete History - Volume 2
Harmignies, Belgium 23 August 1914; Retreat from Mons 3 September 1914
23 August and 3 September 1914
The First World War 1914
On 23 August 1914, as the Germans attacked the British Expeditionary Force in Belgium along the Mons-Condé Canal, a troop of 15th Hussars was caught in a barbed wire entanglement near Harmignies, on the Givry road, five miles south-east of Mons. Disregarding enemy machinegun fire, Corporal C E Garforth dismounted and cut the wire. Twice later during the retreat from Mons he defied enemy fire to save men whose horses had been shot from under them.
Citation
At Harmignies on 23rd August volunteered to cut wire under fire which enabled his squadron to escape. At Dammartin he carried a man out of action. On 3rd September, when under maxim fire, he extricated a sergeant whose horse had been shot, and by opening fire for 3 minutes enabled the sergeant to get away safely.