Noel Godfrey Chavasse

Noel Godfrey Chavasse VC Bar, MC (November 9, 1884 - August 4 1917) was a British soldier. He was born in Oxford and died in Brandhoek.

A Captain with the Royal Army Medical Corps, British Army atached to the 1/10th Batallion of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, Chavasse is one of only three people to be awarded a Victoria Cross twice.

On August 9 1916, at Guillemont, France, Captain Chavasse attended to the wounded all day under heavy fire, frequently in view of the enemy, and during the night he continued searching for wounded in front of the enemy's lines. Next day, under heavy shell fire he and a stretcher bearer carried an urgent case 500 yards to safety, being wounded himself during the journey. The same night, with 20 volunteers, he rescued three wounded men from a shell-hole 36 yards from enemy trenches, buried the bodies of two officers and collected many identity discs. Altogether he saved the lives of some 20 wounded men.

BAR: During the period July 31 to August 2 1917, at Wieltje, Belgium, Captain Chavasse although severely wounded early in the action while carrying a wounded officer to the dressing station, refused to leave his post and in addition to his normal duties, went out repeatedly under heavy fire to attend the wounded. During this time, although practically without food, worn with fatigue and faint from his wound, he helped to carry in badly wounded men, being instrumental in saving many who would otherwise have died under the bad weather conditions. Captain Chavasse subsequently died of his wounds.

Chavasse was the son of Francis James Chavasse, Bishop of Liverpool and founder of St. Peter's College, Oxford.

See the Victoria Cross Reference for more information on the VC and http://www.chavasse.u-net.com/chavasse.html for a detailed biography.