Gerard Montague Gordon, Laurence Fisher Rowe, Harold Talbot Vizard.

Location: Church of St Mary Magdalene, Castleton, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3SA.


Capt. Gerard Montague Gordon, 12/Royal Fusiliers

From CWGC: Captain Gerard Montague Gordon, Adjt. 12th Bn., Royal Fusiliers; died 9 June 1917, aged 26; buried in Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen (II. C. 23.); son of George and Mary Gordon, of Wincombe Park, Wilts, and The Barn House, Sherborne, Dorset: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/152684/GORDON,%20GERA…


Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Rowe Fisher-Rowe

From CWGC: Lieutenant Colonel Laurence Rowe Fisher-Rowe, 1st Bn., Grenadier Guards; died 1 March 1915, aged 48; buried in Estaires Communal Cemetery and Extension, Nord, France (II. F. 9.); husband of Eveleen Fisher-Rowe, of 49, Thurloe Square, South Kensington, London: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/268170/FISHER-ROWE,%2..


Capt. H. T. Vizard, M.C., R.F.A.

From CWGC: Captain H. T. Vizard, “A” Bty. 121st Bde., Royal Field Artillery; died 1 September 1918, aged 22; awards: M C and 2 Bars; buried in Faubourg d’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France (VII. E. 55.); son of Mrs. Hilda Vizard, of Stavordale Priory, Wincanton, Somerset, and the late Willie Vizard. Born at Sherborne, Dorset: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/575239/VIZARD,%20H%20T

Decorations:

From Supplement to the London Gazette, 15 April 1916, 3986: www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29548/supplements/3986

Temporary Second Lieutenant Harold Talbot Vizard, ” C ” Battery, 71st Brigade, Royal

Field Artillery.

For conspicuous courage and devotion to duty. A gun pit, containing sixty shells, having been set alight, with great initiative Second Lieutenant Vizard had the ammunition removed and remained in the.pit till the fire was extinguished. This action was performed under heavy shell fire.

From: Supplement to the London Gazette, 25 November 1916, 11553: www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29837/supplements/11553

Temp. 2nd Lt. Harold Talbot Vizard, M.C., R.F.A.

For conspicuous gallantry in action. He reorganised some men and led them forward in a bombing attack, displaying great courage at a critical time.

(The Military Cross was awarded in London Gazette dated 15th April, 1916.)

From Supplement to the Edinburgh Gazette, 10 January 1918, 229: www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/13192/pages/229

2nd Lt. Harold Talbot Vizard, M.C.,.R.F.A

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion toduty when liaison officer with an infantry battalion. Hearing cries for help coming from a derelict tank, he accompanied the medical officer through heavy barrage and concentrated machine-gun fire and having found a badly wounded Highlander, they dressed his wounds and carried him into a place of safety amidst a hail -of shell and machine-gun fire. No praise can be too great for this splendid act of fearlessness and devotion.

(M.C. gazetted 15th April, 1916.)

(1st Bar to M.C. gazetted 25th November, 1917.)

From The Times, 21 September 1918:

FALLEN OFFICERS

CAPTAIN HAROLD TALBOT VIZARD, M.C., R.F.A., killed in action on September 1, was the only son of the late Captain W. Vizard and Mrs. Vizard, of Raleigh Lodge, Sherborne, Dorset. Born in 1896, he was gazetted temporary second Lieutenant in October, 1914, to the R.F.A., and since July, 1915, he had been in all the chief campaigns with the 15th Scottish Division, during which period he was mentioned five times in dispatches. In April, 1915, he won the Military Cross, and in November, 1916, he was gazetted to the Regular Army. In January he won a bar to his M.C., and a second bar in October, 1917. Last April he was slightly wounded, but did not leave his battery, and was shortly after gazetted captain.

With thanks to Michael Day for the use of his photographs and research. More information and his Flickr can be found here (weblink)