Hugh Colvin

Memorial Floor Tile
Major Hugh COLVIN, V.C, 22nd Cheshire Regiment,
Victoria Cross won at Klien Zillebeke 20th September 1917.
Born 1 March 1887 Burnley, Lancashire to Hugh and Jane, nee Stables. 1891 with his parents and siblings at 33 Larkhill Road, Cheadle, Cheshire. 1901 with his parents and siblings at 4 High Hatherton Bredbury Cheshire. 1911 serving at a private with the 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars
Husband of Lilian Elsie, nee Croudson who he married in 1920, Lancashire. 1939 residing at Bedford Street South, Liverpool, occupation, Army recruiting officer.
Died 16 September 1962 aged 75 years at Bangor Hospital, County Down Northern Ireland. At rest in Carnmoney Cemetery, Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Wills and Admin, Ancestry.
Hugh Colvin of 1 Sandhurst Avenue Blackpool died on date and place stated. Probate Lancaster 5 December 1962 to Hugh Colvin aircraft fitter and Gordon Colvin civil servant.

Memorial Floor Tile in Chester Cathedral, Cheshire.

The following VC Citation has been downloaded, free, from The National Archives.

Awarded 20 September 1917 East of Ypres at Klien Zillebeke.
2nd Lieutenant Hugh Colvin, Cheshire Regiment attached to 9th Battalion.
Citation.
“For most conspicuous bravery in attack. When all the officers of his company except himself – and all but one in the leading company – had become casualties and losses were heavy, he assumed command of both companies and led them forward under heavy machine gun fire with great dash and success. He saw the battalion on his right held up by machine gun fire and led a platoon to their assistance. 2nd Lt. Colvin then went on with only two men to a dug-out. Leaving the men on top, he entered it alone and brought up fourteen prisoners. He then proceeded with his two men to another dug-out which had been holding up the attack by rifle and machine gun fire and bombs. This he reached and killing or making prisoners of the crew, captured the machine gun. Being then attacked from another dugout by fifteen of the enemy under an officer, one of his men was killed and another wounded. Seizing a rifle, he shot five of the enemy and using another as a shield, he forced most of the survivors to surrender. This officer cleared several other dug-outs alone or with one man, taking about fifty prisoners in all. Later, he consolidated his position with great skill and personally wired his front under heavy close range sniping in broad daylight, when all others had failed to do so. The complete success of the attack in this part of the line was mainly dur to 2nd Lt. Colvin’s leadership and courage.”