George Drewry
George Drewry | |
|---|---|
 Drewry (right) with fellow midshipmen Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson and Greg Russell on Imbros. Photo by Ernest Brooks. | |
| Born | 3 November 1894 Forest Gate, Essex, England |
| Died | 2 August 1918 (aged 23) Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1913 - 1918 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | SS River Clyde |
| Battles / wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
George Leslie Drewry VC (3 November 1894 – 2 August 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Drewry was born on 3 November 1894 to Thomas and Mary Drewry.[1] He joined the Naval Reserve in 1913, and was called up for service at the start of World War I. [2]
As a 20-year-old midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve during the First World War, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 25 April 1915 at V Beach in the Landing at Cape Helles, during the Gallipoli campaign.[3]
He later achieved the rank of lieutenant and was killed in an accident at Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands, on 2 August 1918.[4][5]
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum, London, England.
Citation
[edit]Assisted Commander Unwin at the work of securing the lighters under heavy rifle and maxim fire. He was wounded in the head, but continued his work and twice subsequently attempted to swim from lighter to lighter with a line.
— The London Gazette, No. 29264, 13 August 1915 [1]
References
[edit]- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
- VCs of the First World War: Gallipoli (Stephen Snelling, 1995)
- VCs of the First World War: The Naval VCs (Stephen Snelling, 2002)
- ^ a b Drewry, George Leslie, Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- ^ VC online biography
- ^ "No. 29264". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 August 1915. p. 8132.
- ^ "Lieutenant Drewry, V.C.". Obituaries. The Times. No. 41862. London. 7 August 1918. col B, p. 9.
- ^ "Drewry, Midshipman George L. VC". The Newham Story. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2013.
External links
[edit]| International | |
|---|---|
| People | |
- 1894 births
- 1918 deaths
- Military personnel from the London Borough of Newham
- British Gallipoli campaign recipients of the Victoria Cross
- British military personnel killed in World War I
- People educated at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood
- People from Forest Gate
- Royal Navy officers
- Royal Navy officers of World War I
- Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Accidental deaths in Scotland
- British Merchant Navy personnel
- Royal Naval Reserve personnel