Alfred Alexander Burt

Alfred Alexander Burt
Born	3 March 1895 Hertford, Hertfordshire
Died	9 June 1962 Chesham, Buckinghamshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	Hertfordshire Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Alfred Alexander Burt (3 March 1895 – 9 June 1962) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Details

He was 20 years old, and a corporal in The Hertfordshire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 27 September 1915 at Cuinchy, France, Corporal Burt's company was ready to attack when a large minenwerfer bomb fell into the trench. Knowing full well the destructive powers of this bomb the corporal, who might easily have got under cover behind a traverse, went forward, put his foot on the fuse, wrenched it out of the bomb and threw it over the parapet, and so saved the lives of many of his comrades.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment Museum at the Wardown Park Museum in Luton.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Hertfordshire)
• Bedfordshire Regiment
• Herts Memories