Second Lieutenant Edmund De Wind
PERSONAL INFORMATION
MILITARY INFORMATION
- Second Lieutenant (British Army).
- Private, 31st Battalion, Infantry (Army).
Victoria Cross (Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies)
Description: For most conspicuous bravery and self-sacrifice on the 21st March, 1918, at the Race Course Redoubt, near Grugies. For seven hours he held this most important post, and though twice wounded and practically single-handed, he maintained his position until another section could be got to his help. On two occasions, with two N.C.O.'s only, he got out on top under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, and cleared the enemy out of the trench, killing many. He continued to repel attack after attack until he was mortally wounded and collapsed. His valour, self-sacrifice and example were of the highest order.
Date of award: 1919-05-13
Date of award: 1918-03-21
Source: London Gazette
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RESEARCH INFORMATION
Edmund De Wind was born in Ireland in 1883 and entered the service of The Canadian Bank of Commerce in 1911. Enlisting in 1914 from the Edmonton branch, he served in the 31st Battalion. He fought in the battles of St. Eloi, Ypres, and the Somme. From September 1915 until April 1917, he fought with the Machine Gun section of that battalion in the battles of St. Eloi, Ypres, and the Somme. In September 1917, he qualified for a commission and was transferred to the 15th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles with the rank of Second Lieutenant. De Wind was killed in action at St-Quentin on March 21, 1918. Edmund De Wind was posthumously awarded the highest honour for a soldier, the Victoria Cross. Father was a well known engineer in Belfast.
From Letters from the Front, Imperial Bank of Canada.
Born 11th December, 1883, at Comber, County Down, Ireland. Father, Arthur H. De Wind, Civil Engineer (deceased). Educated at Campbell College, Belfast. Entered the service of the Bank, 13th November, 1911. Enlisted, August, 1914, from Edmonton branch, in 31st Canadian Battalion, with the rank of Private. Transferred to 15th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles, April, 1917. Promoted Second Lieutenant, April, 1917. Service : With the Machine Gun Section of the 31st Canadian Battalion in France from September, 1915, to April, 1917, when he returned to England on receiving a Commission. Returned to France in December, 1917.Killed in Action at St. Quentin, 21st March, 1918.
Note:
In the war diary he is listed as part of the machine gun section of C company and he was admitted to the field ambulance on 16th September 1916 just after the 31st were involved in the advance from Pozieres to Courcelette during the Somme offensive.
NOTE : St. Quentin was the scene of the fiercest fighting of the Great German Drive on the 21st March, 1918. Mr. De Wind's Company was in the front line at that time and the Officer Com- manding his Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel Cole-Hamilton (who himself was taken prisoner the same day), pays tribute to his "great courage and magnificent fighting at the head of his platoon."
We are informed that the British Government has presented a captured German gun to the village of Comber (his birthplace) as a memento of his heroism.
Mount de Wind, named for Lt. De Wind, is 2438m (8000ft.) tall, located at the head of the Little Berland River, 1.5 km west of Mount Hunter. Willmore Park, Alberta. Major headwater Athabasca River.
Latitude 53; 34; 25 Longitude 118; 27; 20, Topo map 83E/09
Sometimes listed as deWind