Portrait of N.G. Chavasse wearing the glengarry of the Liverpool Scottish.
Captain Noel Godfrey Chavasse, VC and Bar, MC (9 November 1884 – 4 August 1917) was a British medical doctor and soldier who is one of only three people to be awarded a Victoria Cross twice.
Childhood
Noel Godfrey Chavasse was the younger of two identical twin boys born to the Rev. Francis James Chavasse (later Bishop of Liverpool and founder of St. Peter's College, Oxford) and Edith Jane Chavasse (née Maude) on 9 November 1884 at 36 New Inn Hall Street, Oxford.[1] Christopher Maude was born 20 minutes before his brother. In all, there were seven children born to the Chavasse family, in age order: Dorothea, Christopher, Noel, Edith, Mary, Francis and Aidan. The twins were so small and weak at birth that their baptism was delayed until 29 December 1884 and both were very ill with typhoid in their first year of life.
Chavasse was educated at Magdalen College School in Cowley Place, Oxford, where a blue plaque was dedicated to him in 2005, Liverpool College and Trinity College, Oxford.[1] The family grew up in Oxford until, on 3 March 1900, Rev. Chavasse was offered the Anglican Bishopric of Liverpool. The move was not without regrets as Liverpool during this time was one of the busiest seaports in the Empire and also had a great deal of religious turmoil in progress. The family moved to the Bishop's Palace at 19 Abercromby Square, Liverpool. Noel and Christopher went to school at Liverpool College where they excelled at sports from the start. Their academic progress was initially rather slower but as they grew older, both did well until in 1904, both were admitted to Trinity College, Oxford.[1]
University and early professional career
In 1907, Noel graduated with First Class Honours[1] but Christopher failed, leading to a nervous breakdown. Both of them stayed at Oxford, Noel to study medicine and Christopher to retake his exams. During their time at Trinity, both men had not neglected their sports, Rugby Union being a favourite of theirs. In 1908, both twins represented Great Britain in the Olympic Games in the 400 metres. Noel finished second in his heat while Christopher finished third, neither time being fast enough to progress further.
In January 1909, Noel joined the Oxford University Officer Training Corps Medical Unit. By the following May, he was promoted to lance-sergeant. Noel finished his studies at Oxford in July 1909 and returned to Liverpool to continue his studies under such eminent teachers as Robert Jones who went on to become a leading authority in orthopaedic surgery.
On returning to Liverpool, Chavasse resumed his connection with the Grafton Street Industrial School, an institution for homeless boys in Liverpool. In the autumn, he went to London to sit his examination for Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons. He failed, apparently because of ill health. When he sat the examination again in May 1910, he passed it with ease. Christopher, in the meantime, was well into his studies for the ministry under his father's guiding hand. Noel progressed through his studies having studied pathology and bacteriology. As part of his course, he was obliged to undertake a hospital "placement". He found a position at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Whilst Chavasse liked Dublin, his first experience of living in a Roman Catholic community disturbed him. He took a dislike to the local priesthood whom he considered lazy and avaricious.
In January 1912 Chavasse passed his final medical examination, and was awarded the University's premier medical prize, the Derby Exhibition, in March that year. On 22 July 1912, Noel registered as a doctor with the General Medical Council. His first placement was at the Royal Southern Hospital in Liverpool,[1] initially until 31 March 1913 and then for a further six months. He then became house surgeon to Robert Jones, his former tutor.
Military career and decoration
In early 1913, after discussions with some of his fellow doctors, Chavasse applied for and was accepted by the Royal Army Medical Corps (R.A.M.C.) and thanks to one of his mentors, Dr. McAlistair, who was then Surgeon-Captain of the 10th Battalion of the Kings (Liverpool Regiment), the Liverpool Scottish, he was attached to the battalion as surgeon-lieutenant. The 10th Kings had been a Territorial Battalion since the Haldane Reforms in 1909. Chavasse joined the battalion on 2 June 1913 and was welcomed by Lieutenant-Colonel W. Nicholl, the commanding officer. As an officer in a Territorial unit, Chavasse now had to attend to both his civilian and military duties.
During the First World War, Chavasse was a captain with the Royal Army Medical Corps, British Army attached to the 1/10th (Scottish) Battalion of the King's (Liverpool Regiment).
Chavasse was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at Hooge in Belgium in June 1915, and was promoted captain in August 1915; on 30 November 1915 that year he was mentioned in dispatches.
Victoria Cross
Chavasse was first awarded the VC for his actions on 9 August 1916, at Guillemont, France when he attended to the wounded all day under heavy fire, frequently in view of the enemy; during the night, he continued searching for wounded in front of the enemy's lines. Next day, under heavy shell fire, he and a stretcher bearer carried an urgent case 500 yards to safety, being wounded himself during the journey. The same night, with 20 volunteers, he rescued three wounded men from a shell-hole 36 yards from enemy trenches, buried the bodies of two officers and collected many identity discs. Altogether he saved the lives of some 20 wounded men.
Bar to Victoria Cross
Chavasse's second award was made during the period 31 July to 2 August 1917, at Wieltje, Belgium. Chavasse, although severely wounded early in the action while carrying a wounded officer to the dressing station, refused to leave his post and in addition to his normal duties, went out repeatedly under heavy fire to attend the wounded. During this time, although practically without food, worn with fatigue and faint from his wound, he helped to carry in badly-wounded men, being instrumental in saving many who would otherwise have died in the bad weather. Chavasse died of his wounds in Brandhoek.
He is buried at Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, Vlamertinge. His military headstone carries, uniquely, a representation of two Victoria crosses.[1]
Chavasse was the only man to be awarded a Victoria Cross and bar in the First World War, and one of only three men ever to have achieved this distinction.[1]
Commemoration
Medals of Noel and Christopher Chavasse. Noel's medals are top row. Christopher's medals are bottom row.
Chavasse is believed to be commemorated by more war memorials in the UK than any other individual. Sixteen have currently been recorded by the UK National Inventory of War Memorials. Chavasse Park in Liverpool City Centre was named in Chavasse's honour. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Imperial War Museum, London.
Other holders of the VC and bar
The two other recipients of the VC and Bar are:
- Captain Arthur Martin-Leake, also of the RAMC, was with the 46th Field Ambulance which brought Chavasse back to Brandhoeck. His two awards were for attending wounded soldiers whilst under fire in 1901 (during the Anglo-Boer War) and in 1914, early in World War I.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Ann Clayton, "Chavasse, Noel Godfrey (1884–1917)", Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 accessed 12 Sept 2008
Further reading
External links
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