Andy A Posted 22 June , 2019 Share Posted 22 June , 2019 Just seen an old friend on facebook who's family lived very near me when I used to live in Wadhurst in East Sussex whose surname is Sewell who had a relation who as a Lieutenant in the Tank Corps won a VC. I know nothing more than this and I was told this many years ago and I wold be very interested in finding out a little more about this individual with a view to passing this information onto his family.Any help would be gratefully received. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 22 June , 2019 Admin Share Posted 22 June , 2019 Hi Andy Search the forum for "Sewell" and other threads will be found. Such as these Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 22 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 22 June , 2019 thank you bud, I will. His family still live in Wadhurst but I dont think that they have the VC, Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgibson150 Posted 22 June , 2019 Share Posted 22 June , 2019 The Tank Corps Book of Honour includes the following under deeds which won the Victoria Cross. I would guess that this is the citation which would have been published in the London Gazette. " Lieut. SEWELL, CECIL HAROLD. 3rd Battn. When in command of a section of whippet (light) tanks in action in front of Fremicourt on the afternoon of August 29, 1918, this officer displayed the greatest gallantry and initiative in getting out of his own tank and crossing open ground under heavy shell and machine-gun fire to rescue the crew of another whippet of his section, which had side-slipped into a large shell-hole, overturned, and taken fire. The door of the tank having become jammed against the side of the shell-hole, Lieut. Sewell, by his own unaided efforts, dug away the entrance to the door and released the crew. In doing so he undoubtedly saved the lives of the officers and men inside the tank, as the}7 could not have got out without his assistance. After having extricated this crew, seeing one of his own crew lying wounded behind his tank, he again dashed across the open ground to his assistance. He was hit while doing so, but succeeded in reaching the tank, when a few minutes later he was again hit fatally, in the act of dressing his wounded driver. During the whole of this period he was in full view and short range of enemy machine-guns and rifle pits, and throughout, by his prompt and heroic action, showed an utter disregard for his own personal safety. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgibson150 Posted 22 June , 2019 Share Posted 22 June , 2019 The action on 29 August is set out here. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david murdoch Posted 22 June , 2019 Share Posted 22 June , 2019 5 hours ago, Andy A said: thank you bud, I will. His family still live in Wadhurst but I dont think that they have the VC, Andy His VC was or is with the Tank Museum. https://tank100.com/headline-news/cecil_sewell/ http://www.vconline.org.uk/cecil-h-sewell-vc/4588197291 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy A Posted 23 June , 2019 Author Share Posted 23 June , 2019 Thank you very much for this information, I will contact his famiy to see if they have all this in detail. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Davies Posted 23 June , 2019 Share Posted 23 June , 2019 That’s his VC with members of the rugby club he was a member of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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