Cemetery: Pozieres Memorial
Country: France
Area: Somme
Rank: Private
Force: Army
Official Number: 50720
Unit: 9th Sqdn. Machine Gun Corps (Cavalry).
Country of Service: British
Details: V C 22nd March 1918. Age 24. Panel 93 and 94. An extract from "The London Gazette dated 30th April, 1918, records the following:-For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice displayed when owing to casualties Pte. Columbine took over command of a gun and kept it firing from 9 a.m. till 1 p.m. in an isolated position with no wire in front. During this time wave after wave of the enemy failed to get up to him. Owing to his being attacked by a low-flying aeroplane the enemy at last gained a strong footing in the trench on either side. The position being untenable he ordered the two remaining men to get away and though being bombed from either side kept his gun firing and inflicting tremendous losses. He was eventually killed by a bomb which blew up him and his gun. He showed throughout the highest valour determination and self-sacrifice."
Photograph by Martin Harvey