316:"It was at break of day, just before we were ordered to 'stand to,' we were working in the first line of trenches, and a trench that was nothing more than a graveyard. The first German trench was no more than fifty yards away, and their mortars and rifle grenades were simply spilling into us. Our trench was getting badly knocked about by the flying missiles. You must distinguish between these mortars and shells, because the mortars have a time fuse which explodes them without striking. I was just raising my head over the front of the trench, and, hearing the whiz, I said to my men, 'Look out.' Down they went. The bomb landed, and started to roll down from the top of the trench. I dashed forward and seized it, and threw it over the top of trench. Scarcely had it left my hand and reached the outside of the trench than it exploded with a terrific report. We were all buried under falling earth, but fortunately no one was hurt, although my cap was blown to pieces. My men were very appreciative of my action, and cheered and thanked me.
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landed on the side of the parapet of the communication trench in which Second
Lieutenant Boyd-Rochfort was standing, close to a small working party of his battalion. Instead of stepping back into safety he shouted to his men to look out, rushed at the bomb, seized it and hurled it over the parapet
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where it at once exploded. This combination of presence of mind and courage saved the lives of many of the working party.
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Boyd-Rochfort was born on 1 January 1880, the eldest son of Major
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Afterwards they wrote and signed a statement of what I had done, which they handed to the
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Boyd-Rochfort was a noted jockey and polo-player. After the war he became well known in
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Clarke, Brian D. H. (1986). "A register of awards to Irish-born officers and men".
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when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
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A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of
Ireland
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Boyd-Rochfort relinquished his commission in 1920 with the rank of
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A description of the incident in Boyd-Rochfort's own words:
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as an owner and breeder, and as senior steward of the
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214:George Augustus Boyd-Rochfort
404:A Cambridge Alumni Database
269:He was 35 years old, and a
183:George Arthur Boyd-Rochfort
25:George Arthur Boyd-Rochfort
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570:Monuments to Courage
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337:Irish racing circles
218:Middleton Park House
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455:The London Gazette
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354:on 7 August 1940.
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615:1940 deaths
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490:"No. 32230"
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430:"No. 29118"
350:He died at
304:, a German
149:World War I
604:Categories
519:4 February
386:References
382:, London.
331:Later life
216:, both of
208:Early life
90:Allegiance
374:The Medal
298:La Bassée
176:(brother)
170:Relations
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108:Service/
325:captain
294:Cambrin
273:in the
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129:Captain
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352:Dublin
302:France
155:Awards
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