World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He received the award posthumously for his actions as a 2nd lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment, of the British Army on March 21, 1918 at the beginning of Germany's Operation Michael in Northern France. Born in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), he received his primary education at S. Thomas' College in Mount Lavinia, Ceylon and at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. He then returned to Ceylon and acquired a job in the Public Works Department. In July 1916 he returned to England to join the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment of the British Army and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant the following December. He was sent to the Western Front in France and after being wounded in May 1917, he returned to England to recover and was attached to the 11th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (the Accrington Pals) the following October. Returning to France, his platoon was attacked on March 21, 1918 when the German Operation Michael began and he was killed in combat at the age of 30 between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France. His body was never recovered and is likely buried in an unmarked grave. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On the 21st March 1918 between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France, the enemy attacked Second Lieutenant Horsfall's centre platoon, his three forward sections were driven back and he was wounded in the head by enemy fire. Ignoring the wound, he immediately reorganised what remained of his troops and counter attacked to regain his original position. Despite the severity of his head wound, he refused to go to the dressing station, as the three other officers in his company had been killed. Later, he made another counter attack, but was ordered to withdraw. The last to leave his position, he was shot soon afterwards." His Victoria Cross is on display at the Lancashire Regimental Museum in Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire, England. Son of the late Charles William Horsfall, of Darlington, Polwatta, Colombo, and of Maria Henrietta Horsfall (nee Layard), of Florence, Kandy, Ceylon.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He received the award posthumously for his actions as a 2nd lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, The East Lancashire Regiment, of the British Army on March 21, 1918 at the beginning of Germany's Operation Michael in Northern France. Born in Colombo, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), he received his primary education at S. Thomas' College in Mount Lavinia, Ceylon and at Sir William Borlase's Grammar School in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, England. He then returned to Ceylon and acquired a job in the Public Works Department. In July 1916 he returned to England to join the 1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment of the British Army and was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant the following December. He was sent to the Western Front in France and after being wounded in May 1917, he returned to England to recover and was attached to the 11th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment (the Accrington Pals) the following October. Returning to France, his platoon was attacked on March 21, 1918 when the German Operation Michael began and he was killed in combat at the age of 30 between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France. His body was never recovered and is likely buried in an unmarked grave. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On the 21st March 1918 between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France, the enemy attacked Second Lieutenant Horsfall's centre platoon, his three forward sections were driven back and he was wounded in the head by enemy fire. Ignoring the wound, he immediately reorganised what remained of his troops and counter attacked to regain his original position. Despite the severity of his head wound, he refused to go to the dressing station, as the three other officers in his company had been killed. Later, he made another counter attack, but was ordered to withdraw. The last to leave his position, he was shot soon afterwards." His Victoria Cross is on display at the Lancashire Regimental Museum in Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire, England. Son of the late Charles William Horsfall, of Darlington, Polwatta, Colombo, and of Maria Henrietta Horsfall (nee Layard), of Florence, Kandy, Ceylon.
Read More
Bio by: William Bjornstad