Cecil Sewell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cecil Harold Sewell
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|---|---|
| Born | 27 January 1895 Greenwich, London |
| Died | 29 August 1918 (aged 23) Fremicourt, France |
| Buried |
Vaulx Hill Cemetery, Vaulx-Vraucourt
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| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | – 1918 † |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | Royal West Kent Regiment Tank Corps |
| Battles/wars | World War I |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Cecil Harold Sewell (born January 27, 1895 – died August 29, 1918) was a brave English soldier. He received the Victoria Cross, which is the highest award for courage in battle. This special medal is given to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces.
Early Life and Joining the Army
Cecil Sewell was one of nine children. He went to school at Dulwich College from 1907 to 1912.
When World War I started, he joined the British Army. He became a lieutenant in the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. Later, he joined the 3rd (Light) Battalion of the Tank Corps. He was 23 years old when he performed the heroic act that earned him the Victoria Cross.
A Heroic Rescue
On August 29, 1918, Lieutenant Sewell was in Fremicourt, France. He was leading a group of Whippet light tanks.
One of the tanks in his group got into trouble. It slipped into a large shell-hole, flipped over, and caught fire. The door of the tank was stuck against the side of the hole.
Lieutenant Sewell bravely got out of his own tank. He ran across open ground, even though heavy machine-gun fire was all around him. He dug away the dirt from the tank's door all by himself. This allowed the trapped crew to get out safely.
After helping the tank crew, he saw one of his own crew members. This soldier was wounded and lying behind Sewell's tank. Lieutenant Sewell again crossed the dangerous open ground to help him.
He was hit by enemy fire while doing this, but he kept going. He reached his wounded driver and began to help him. Just a few minutes later, he was hit again, and this time it was fatal. He died while trying to save his driver.
Legacy
Lieutenant Sewell's Victoria Cross medal is now on display. You can see it at The Tank Museum in Dorset, England. His Whippet tank, named Caesar II, is also at the museum.
See also
- List of First World War Victoria Cross recipients
