Charles Richard Sharpe

Charles Richard Sharpe
Born	2 April 1889 Pickworth, Lincolnshire
Died	18 February 1963 (aged 73) Workington, Cumbria
Buried at	Newport Cemetery, Lincoln
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Company Sergeant Major
Unit	Royal Lincolnshire Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross

Charles Richard Sharpe VC (2 April 1889 - 18 February 1963) 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.

Charles Sharpe was a farmer's boy from Pickworth, near Bourne, Lincolnshire, who ran away from home to join the army at the age of sixteen. He was an Acting Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, British Army and 26 years old when the following deed took place during the Battle of Aubers Ridge in First World War for which he was awarded the VC.

On 9 May 1915 at Rouges Bancs, France, Corporal Sharpe was in charge of a blocking party sent forward to take a portion of the German trench. He was the first to reach the enemy's position and using bombs with great effect he himself cleared them out of a trench 50 yards long. By this time all his party had fallen and he was then joined by four other men with whom he attacked the enemy with bombs and captured a further trench 250 yards long.

He had served with the 2nd Bn in Bermuda before the war, arriving on the Western Front with that battalion 6 November 1914. He later achieved the rank of Company Sergeant Major. He left the army in 1928.

On return to civilian life, he worked at a number of jobs, notably as a physical training instructor to boys at the Hereward Camp approved school at Bourne. His medal is held at the Museum of Lincolnshire Life in Lincoln.

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 (Lincolnshire)
• Lincolnshire Regiment VCs (Royal Lincolnshire & Royal Anglian Regimental Association (Lincoln Branch))

Persondata
Name	Sharpe, Charles Richard
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	2 April 1889
Place of birth	Pickworth, Lincolnshire
Date of death	18 February 1963
Place of death	Workington, Cumbria