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Lt. Gordon Muriel Flowerdew V.C.
Canadian Army Lord Strathcona's Horse
from:Wallachin, British Columbia.
(d.31st Mar 1918)
Gordon Flowerdew was born in Billingsford, Norfolk, England and emegrated to Canada in 1902 at the age of 18. In 1914 he enlisted in the 31st British Columbia Horse, transferring to the Lord Strathcona's Horse. He died as a result of wounds, the day after the The cavalry charge at the Bois de Moreuil in France, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross and is buried in Namps-au-Val British cemetery, near Amiens, France.
His V.C. Citation reads:
For most conspicuous bravery and dash when in command of a squadron detailed for special service of a very important nature. On reaching the first objective, Lieutenant Flowerdew saw two lines of the enemy, each about sixty strong, with machine guns in the centre and flanks, one line about two hundred yards behind the other. Realizing the critical nature of the operation and how many depended upon it, Lieutenant Flowerdew ordered a troop under Lieutenant Harvey to dismount and carry out a special movement while he led the remaining three troops to the charge. The squadron ( less one troop ) passed over both lines, killing many of the enemy with the sword, and wheeling about galloped at them again. Although the squadron had then lost about 70 percent of its number, killed and wounded, from rifle and machine gun fire directed on it from the front and both flanks, the enemy broke and retired. The survivors then established themselves in a position, where later they were joined, after much hand-to-hand fighting, by Lieutenant Harvey's party. Lieutenant Flowerdew was dangerously wounded through both thighs during the operation, but continued to cheer on his men. There can be no doubt that this officer's great valour was the prime factor in the capture of the position.
