World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He received the award posthumously from British King George V at Buckingham Palace in London, England in December 1918 (presented to his mother) for his actions as a lieutenant in The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, of the British Army on August 29, 1918 at Fremicourt, France near the end of World War I. Born in Greenwich, London, England, he attended Dulwich College in London. Following the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, he joined the British Army along with two of his brothers. He was attached to the 3rd (Light) Battalion of the Tank Corps when he won the Victoria Cross for gallantry that resulted in his death at the age of 23. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On 29 August 1918 at Fremicourt, France, Lieutenant Sewell, who was in command of a section of Whippet light tanks, got out of his own tank and crossed open ground under heavy machine-gun fire to rescue the crew of another Whippet of his section which had side-slipped into a shell-hole, overturned and caught fire. The door of the tank had become jammed against the side of the shell-hole, but Lieutenant Sewell, unaided, dug away the entrance to the door and released the crew. Having done this, he saw one of his own crew lying wounded behind his tank. He crossed the open ground to go to his assistance. Although hit while doing so, he reached the tank. Only few minutes later he was hit, fatally this time, while dressing his wounded driver." In addition to the Victoria Cross, he also received the British War Medal (1914-19) and the Victory Medal (1914-19). His Victoria Cross and other medals, as well as his Whippet tank are on display at The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, England. His brother, Bert Sewell, was killed in combat at the Battle of the Somme, France in November 1916 and his brother, Harry "Chap" Sewell was seriously wounded in India and died as a result in England in August 1917.
World War I Victoria Cross Recipient. He received the award posthumously from British King George V at Buckingham Palace in London, England in December 1918 (presented to his mother) for his actions as a lieutenant in The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, of the British Army on August 29, 1918 at Fremicourt, France near the end of World War I. Born in Greenwich, London, England, he attended Dulwich College in London. Following the outbreak of World War I in July 1914, he joined the British Army along with two of his brothers. He was attached to the 3rd (Light) Battalion of the Tank Corps when he won the Victoria Cross for gallantry that resulted in his death at the age of 23. His Victoria Cross citation reads: "On 29 August 1918 at Fremicourt, France, Lieutenant Sewell, who was in command of a section of Whippet light tanks, got out of his own tank and crossed open ground under heavy machine-gun fire to rescue the crew of another Whippet of his section which had side-slipped into a shell-hole, overturned and caught fire. The door of the tank had become jammed against the side of the shell-hole, but Lieutenant Sewell, unaided, dug away the entrance to the door and released the crew. Having done this, he saw one of his own crew lying wounded behind his tank. He crossed the open ground to go to his assistance. Although hit while doing so, he reached the tank. Only few minutes later he was hit, fatally this time, while dressing his wounded driver." In addition to the Victoria Cross, he also received the British War Medal (1914-19) and the Victory Medal (1914-19). His Victoria Cross and other medals, as well as his Whippet tank are on display at The Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset, England. His brother, Bert Sewell, was killed in combat at the Battle of the Somme, France in November 1916 and his brother, Harry "Chap" Sewell was seriously wounded in India and died as a result in England in August 1917.
Bio by: William Bjornstad
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