Frederick Booth

Captain Frederick Charles Booth VC, DCM (6 March 1890 – 14 September 1960) was a Rhodesian 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.

For the British politician, see Frederick Handel Booth.

Frederick Booth
Born6 March 1890
Holloway, London
Died14 September 1960
Brighton, Sussex
Buried
Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton
AllegianceSouthern Rhodesia
 United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1912 - 1939
RankCaptain
UnitBritish South Africa Police
Rhodesia Native Regiment (attached)
Middlesex Regiment
Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsVictoria Cross
Distinguished Conduct Medal

Details

Booth was born in Holloway, North London, and educated at Cheltenham College. He served in the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia from 1912 to 1917 and his regimental number was 1630. He was 26 years old, and a sergeant in the British South Africa Police attached to the Rhodesian Native Regiment during the First World War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 12 February 1917 in Johannes Bruck, German East Africa (now Tanzania), during an attack in thick scrub on an enemy position, Sergeant Booth went forward alone to rescue an injured man. He then rallied the poorly organised native troops and brought them to the firing line. On many previous occasions this NCO had set a splendid example of pluck, and endurance.[1]

In 1918 he was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment and in 1939 served with the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps.[2][3]

Booth died on 14 September 1960 in Brighton, Sussex, England. He is buried at Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton,[4] in the Red Cross Plot.

References
  1. "No. 30122". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 1917. p. 5704.
  2. "No. 30520". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 February 1918. p. 1921.
  3. "No. 34825". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 April 1940. p. 2053.
  4. "Victoria Cross Holders interred within or cremated at Brighton & Hove City Council's Cemeteries and Crematorium". Brighton and Hove City Council (Woodvale Bereavement Services). 2010. Archived from the original (DOC) on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 4 January 2016.
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