Albert Mountain facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Mountain
|
|
|---|---|
Plaque in Garforth where he lived from 1953 till his death
|
|
| Born | 19 April 1897 Leeds, West Riding of Yorkshire |
| Died | 7 January 1967 (aged 69) Leeds |
| Buried |
Lawnswood Crematorium, Leeds
|
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross Croix de guerre (France) Médaille militaire |
Albert Mountain was a very brave English soldier. He lived from 1897 to 1967. He is famous for winning the Victoria Cross during World War I. This award is the highest honor for bravery given to soldiers in the British and Commonwealth forces.
Who Was Albert Mountain?
Albert Mountain was born in Leeds, England. He joined the British Army and became a sergeant. He served in the 15/17th Battalion of The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment).
He fought during the First World War. This was a huge global conflict that lasted from 1914 to 1918. Soldiers like Albert Mountain showed incredible courage during this time.
His Amazing Bravery
Albert Mountain earned his Victoria Cross for actions on March 26, 1918. This happened in a place called Hamelincourt, France. The situation was very dangerous for his unit.
He led a small group of 10 men. They faced a large enemy patrol of about 200 soldiers. Using a special machine gun called a Lewis gun, they attacked. They managed to defeat about half of the enemy patrol.
Later, Albert Mountain gathered his men. They were facing an even bigger enemy force. This small group of one sergeant and four men held back about 600 enemy soldiers for half an hour. This allowed the rest of his company to retreat safely.
After this, Sergeant Mountain took charge of a key position for his battalion. He held this spot for 27 hours. He only stopped fighting when his position was completely surrounded by the enemy. His actions saved many lives.
Awards and Recognition
For his incredible bravery, Albert Mountain received the Victoria Cross. This is the highest award for courage in the British military.
He also received two awards from France:
- The Croix de guerre
- The Médaille militaire
Today, his Victoria Cross is on display. You can see it at The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire Museum in York, England.
