Subject

Captain Frederick Charles Booth VC, DCM. Born Holloway. Served in the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia 1912-17.

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 12 February 1917 in Johannes Bruck, German East Africa (now Tanzania), during an attack in thick scrub on an enemy position, Sergeant Booth went forward alone to rescue an injured man. He then rallied the poorly organised native troops and brought them to the firing line. On many previous occasions this NCO had set a splendid example of pluck, and endurance. The victoriacross.org.uk website lists the two separate citations he received for the awards of the Victoria Cross and the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

In 1918 he was commissioned as a Captain into the Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment) and in 1939 served with the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps. He died, aged 70 years, on 14 September 1960 at the Red Cross Convalescent Hospital for Officers, Percival Terrace, Brighton, East Sussex. He was buried on 18 September 1960 at the Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, his grave being in the Red Cross Plot ZKZ-36. A comprehensive biography of the man can be found on the Dorking Museum website which is fascinating reading if failed marriages and the way they were reported in the 1920s interests you.