Herbert George Columbine

Herbert George Columbine VC (28 November 1893 – 22 March 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.

He was 24 years old, and a private in the 9th Squadron, Machine Gun Corps, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 22 March 1918 at Hervilly Wood, France, Private Columbine took over command of a gun and kept firing it from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in an isolated position with no wire in front. During this time wave after wave of the enemy failed to get up to him, but at last with the help of a low-flying aircraft the enemy managed to gain a strong foothold in the trench. As the position was now untenable, Private Columbine told the two remaining men to get away, and although he was being bombed on either side, he kept his gun firing, inflicting losses, until he was killed by a bomb which blew him up along with his gun. Columbine was only 24 years old when he died.

The local leisure centre at Walton-on-the-Naze has now been named after him.

References

*"Monuments to Courage" (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*VCs of the First World War - Spring Offensive 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 1997)