Philip John Gardner

Philip John ("Pip") Gardner VC MC (25 December 1914 - 2003) 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 educated at Dulwich College (between 1928 and 1932).

Details

He was 26 years old, and an Acting Captain in the Royal Tank Regiment, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 23 November 1941 at Tobruk, Libya, Captain Gardner took two tanks to the rescue of two armoured cars of the King's Dragoon Guards, which were out of action and under heavy attack. Whilst one tank gave covering fire the captain dismounted from the other, hitched a tow rope to one of the cars, then lifted into it an officer, both of whose legs had been blown off. The tow rope broke, so Captain Gardner returned to the armoured car, but was immediately wounded in the arm and leg. Despite this he managed to transfer the wounded man to the second tank and returned to British lines through intense shell-fire.

References

*British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
* (Rex Woods)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

* [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/theartofwar/valgal/valour/INF3_0441.htm Captain P.J. Gardner] in "The Art of War" exhibition at the UK National Archives
* [http://www.magicnet.net/~westham/vc05.html#Philip Gardner Philip Gardner]