Major Hugh Colvin, who died on Sunday in Bangor Hospital, Northern Ireland, at the age of 75, was awarded the V.C. in 1917 for conspicuous bravery in France.
He was born at Burnley and joined the 8th (King’s Royal Irish) Hussars in 1908 as a private.
He served in India until 1914 and then in France and was commissioned on the field in 1917 to the 2nd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, attached 9th (Service) Battalion.
During an attack when all the officers of his company except himself and all but one in the leading company—had become casualties he assumed command of both companies and led them forward with a great dash under heavy machine-gun fire.
With two men he went to a dug-out, left them on top and entered alone, emerging with 14 prisoners. He dealt similarly with a second dug-out which had been holding up the attack, killed or made prisoners of the crew and took a machine gun.
He and his two men were themselves attacked by 15 of the enemy under an officer. His men became casualties but he seized a rifle, shot five of the enemy and used another as a shield, forcing most of the survivors to surrender.
Colvin then cleared other dug-outs either alone or with one man, taking, in all, about 50 prisoners. Later, he consolidated his position with great skill and personally wired his front under heavy close-range sniping in broad daylight.
From The Times, 18th September 1962.
