On 21 April 1945, the last VC of the Second World War in Europe was won by Guardsman Charlton in an astonishing act of bravery. The Irish Guards had been ordered to harass Wehrmacht positions at the towns of Elsdorf and Wistedt in northwestern Germany, around 50 miles southeast of Hamburg. Early that morning a squadron of ‘Mick’ Shermans were confronted by 88s, self-propelled guns, emerging menacingly from the woods to their front and supported by infantry. The first tank was hit as the crew baled and retreated behind cover, and soon the remainder were out of action. The driver, Gdsm Charlton, showing remarkable alertness having just evaded a fiery death, noticed ground troops beginning to advance. This threatened the Irish position, and thus the Division’s advance.
The Victoria Cross.
Climbing back onto the burning hulk, he detached the Browning heavy machine gun and took position to open up on the advancing Germans. Alone and receiving fire, he was hit twice in his left arm, and so forced to fire and reload with his right hand only. The M2 Browning was capable of five hundred rounds per minute and the German advance faltered under withering machine gun fire. His good arm was subsequently hit and he was unable to resist as, eventually, his position was overwhelmed after about twenty minutes. By now Charlton was gravely wounded, but his actions had allowed his comrades to organise and hit back. He was, though, taken back for treatment by the Germans but succumbed to his wounds.
The remainder of the day saw furious fighting as the Irish Guards resisted armoured attacks from the 15th Panzer Division. By dusk the Germans had fallen back to the town of Zeven, and Elsdorf and Wistedt remained in Allied hands. Charlton was buried by the enemy, and the site of his grave was later identified by one of the officers leading the German attack.
The regulations behind the awarding of decorations required the testimony of officers or NCOs. During Charlton’s actions none were present. Who to turn to for the citation? None other than the German officer and other enemy troops who witnessed Charlton’s extraordinary act of heroism, an unusual case, and more so for the Victoria Cross.
Charlton’s grave at Becklingen War Cemetery.
Edward Colquhoun Charlton was born in Gateshead, Co Durham and moved to Manchester where he worked in an abattoir. In 1939 he volunteered for the Irish Guards as he was keen on a career with Greater Manchester Police who, at the time (and how times have changed), were only recruiting ex-Guardsmen. Tragically he was never able to walk the beat, and he now rests at Becklingen War Cemetery near Hannover.
The Victoria Cross he won resides at Regimental Headquarters, Wellington Barracks. Charlton’s great nieces continue to visit his grave having travelled to Germany just last year. As we are now at the 80th anniversary of the end of the war in Europe, spare a thought for the man who won the last VC.
Oliver Webb-Carter is the editor of Aspects of History.
