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4/440, Sergeant |
Sergeant
Forsyth was born at Wellington, New Zealand, on 3 April 1891, and was 27
years old when the action for which he was awarded The Victoria Cross took
place.
The citation from the London Gazette dated 22 October 1918 reads:
"On nearing his objective, his company came under heavy fire.
Under Forsyth's dashing leadership and total disregard of danger, three machine-gun positions were rushed and the crews taken prisoner before they could inflict many casualties on our troops.
During a subsequent advance his company came under heavy fire from several machine guns, two of which he located by a reconnaissance. In his endeavour to gain support from a tank he was wounded, but after having the wound bandaged, he again got in touch with the tank which, in the face of very heavy fire from machine-guns and anti-tank guns, he endeavoured to lead, with magnificent coolness, to a favourable position.
The tank, however, was put out of action. Sergeant Forsyth organised the tank crew and several of his men into a section and led them to a position where the machine-guns could be outflanked.
Always under heavy fire, he directed them into a position which brought about a retirement of the enemy machine-guns and enabled the advance to continue.
This gallant NCO was at that moment killed by a sniper. From the beginning of the attack until the moment of his death, Sergeant Forsyth's courage and coolness, combined with great power and initiative, proved an invaluable incentive to all who were with him and undoubtedly saved many casualties among his comrades."
Sergeant Forsyth was killed in action at Grevillers, France, on 24 August, 1918 and is buried at the Adanac Military Cemetery, France.
His Victoria Cross is not publicly held.
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