Edward Colquhoun Charlton 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.

He was 24 years old, and a Guardsman in the 2nd Bn., Irish Guards, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 21 April 1945 at Wistedt , Germany, Guardsman Charlton was a co-driver of one tank of a troop which, with a platoon of infantry, captured the village. When shortly afterwards, all the tanks were hit in a fierce enemy attack, and the infantry were in danger of being over-run, Guardsman Charlton, on his own initiative, seized a Browning and advanced firing from the hip, inflicting such heavy casualties that the enemy were halted. Although wounded in the left arm the guardsman mounted his gun on a fence and continued firing even when wounded again. He died later, but his gallantry had saved a desperate situation.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the The Guards Regimental Headquarters (Irish Guards RHQ) (London, England).

Reference

• British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.