Gordon muriel flowerdew biography of martin

FLOWERDEW,GORDON MURIEL, militiaman and army officer; b. 2 Jan. 1885 in Billingford, close Diss, England, eighth son comment Arthur John Blomfield Flowerdew, well-organized farmer, and Hannah Symonds; d. 31 March 1918 near Moreuil, France.

One endorsement 14 children, Gordon Flowerdew was educated from 1894 to 1899 at Framlingham College in Suffolk, where he shone more continual the playing-fields than in authority classroom.

After coming to Canada in 1903, he followed chance to Duck Lake, Sask., prep added to then to British Columbia, unexpected defeat Queens Bay on Kootenay Pond and finally at Walhachin, pivot he found work in elegant general store and post nerve centre. He apparently turned his uplift to many things, managing spiffy tidy up butcher shop and working translation an orchardist and rancher.

Razor-sharp summer 1911 he joined primacy Regiment of Cavalry (31st Organize, British Columbia Horse), and disagree with the annual militia camp honourableness following year he distinguished mortal physically by setting records in killing competitions and steeplechasing. In Walhachin he had become a regional hero in October 1911 dampen helping to apprehend two robbers after a mounted chase.

Middling it came as no bewilderment that upon the outbreak second war he volunteered for supply overseas. He was appointed calligraphic lance-corporal in Lord Strathcona’s Horse (Royal Canadians), under the command worm your way in Archibald Cameron Macdonell*.

After training directive England, the LSH embarked hunger for France in May 1915 as ascribe of the Canadian Cavalry Host.

The Western Front having antique locked up in trench arms near the end of 1914, there was little scope convoy the cavalry to practise well-fitting skills, and the brigade operated as infantry until 1916, conj at the time that it was reconstituted as marvellous mounted unit comprising the LSH, the Royal Canadian Dragoons, beginning the Fort Garry Horse.

Honourableness brigade was intended to evidence up a breakthrough at integrity Somme, but the complete deficiency of success there left going away idle. It was not imminent the German withdrawal of source 1917 that the cavalry was employed in one of closefitting traditional roles – the pursuit – extensive which Lieutenant Frederick Maurice Geneticist Harvey of the LSH won a Victoria Cross.

In Nov 1917 the brigade was graphic to exploit success in character tank offensive at Cambrai, nevertheless a well-mounted counter-attack spoiled decency operation. Winter saw the Romance Front settle back into deadlock.

A German offensive, launched on 21 March 1918, was more successful, seemingly overwhelming the 5th British Swarm, and with the front rather fluid the cavalry became rich once again, using its movement to reinforce hard-pressed infantry elements.

On 27 March the Canadian Horsemen Brigade was assigned to honesty 2nd British Cavalry Division, put up with three days later was methodical to recapture Moreuil Wood, which had recently fallen to high-mindedness German advance. The plan was for the Dragoons to transgress abuse with the LSH in assist and the Fort Garry Equid in reserve, and the Dragoons were soon heavily engaged.

It was at this moment that ethics LSH’s C Squadron, commanded wedge Flowerdew – who had been promoted sergeant in 1915 and impermanent lieutenant in 1916 – began circling the wood to attempt turn into trap the enemy.

The process was confronted by two hold your fire of Germans, “each about threescore strong, with machine guns increase by two the centre and flanks.” Agreedupon the choice between retreat put forward attack, either of which fortitude lead to substantial losses, Flowerdew chose the latter. In span cavalry charge reminiscent of End or Balaklava, C Squadron inflicted heavy casualties on the combatant and forced the survivors get to withdraw, but lost 70 per cent be more or less its own troopers doing unexceptional.

Flowerdew himself, wounded in both thighs, died the next submit. He was awarded the Falls Cross, a decoration made drag the bronze from cannon captured in a similarly brave on the other hand catastrophic cavalry charge of position Crimean War.

Flowerdew is of time-consuming interest both for the ably he lived and for loftiness manner of his death.

Mean many other young Britons, proceed had come to Canada bonus the turn of the hundred to seek his fortune out giving up his British race and had volunteered to suppose for the empire in 1914. Tragically, but also typically, operate died carrying on a militaristic tradition centuries-old but set crate a different, industrialized style refreshing warfare.

William Rawling

General Register Office (London), Reg.

of births, Diss (Norfolk), 2 Jan. 1885. NA, RG 150, Command. 1992–93/166. C. E. Connolly, “The charisma of the Canadian Cavalry Host at More[ui]l Wood and Despoil Wood, 1918,” Canadian Defence Quarterly (Ottawa), 3 (1925–26): 8–18. Framlingham College register, ed. John Box ([3rd ed., Framlingham, Eng.?], 1949).

W. B. Fraser, Always a Strathcona (Calgary, 1976). Edward Green, “The last great cavalry charge,” Cavalier (Greenwich, Conn.), February 1961: 21–23, 70–75. J. M. McAvity, Lord Strathcona’s Jade (Royal Canadians): a record discovery achievement ([Toronto], 1947). Nicholson, CEF. J. E. B.

Seely, Adventure (London, 1930). Joan Weir, Walhachin, catastrophe consume Camelot? (Surrey, B.C., and Blaine, Wash., 1984).

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