Charles Allix Lavington Yate
Encyclopedia
Major Charles Allix Lavington Yate VC
(14 March 1872 - 20 September 1914) 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.
Yate, from Madeley
, Shropshire
, attended Sandhurst
and joined the British Army
. He saw service in British India, Mauritius
, South Africa
during the Second Boer War
, as an observer during the Russo-Japanese War
, and between 1908 and 1914 he was on the staff of the War Office
in London.
George Edward Yate (1825–1908), the Vicar of St. Michael’s Church, Madeley from 1859 to 1908.
Yate was educated at Weymouth College
, and graduated from Sandhurst 9th out of 1100 cadets, and joined 2nd Battalion, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
on 13 August 1892 in Bombay. He first saw action in India in the Tirah expedition
from 1897 to 1898, for which he was awarded the medal and clasp of the Tirah Expedition. He was seriously wounded during the Boer War.
On 17 September 1903 he married Florence Helena Brigg, from Greenhead Hall, Yorkshire. There were no children. His cousin was Sir Charles Yate, 1st Baronet
.
He was promoted to the rank of major
in 1912. Yate was fluent in French, German and Japanese, and could also speak Hindustani and Persian.
when the following deed took place during the battle of Le Cateau
for which he was awarded the VC.
On 26 August 1914 at Le Cateau
, France
, Major Yate commanded one of the two companies that remained to the end in the trenches, and when all other officers had been killed or wounded and ammunition exhausted, he led his 19 survivors against the enemy in a charge in which he himself was severely wounded. He at Targau POW Camp. He was captured by the Germans and interned in a prisoner of war camp. After repeated attempts, he escaped amonth later on 19 September 1914, but was quickly apprehended by local factory workers who suspected his appearance, and cut his own throat to avoid recapture and possible execution as a spy. He died on 20 September 1914.
Four other VCs were won that day at Le Cateau, including one by Lance Corporal Frederick William Holmes
.
Yate is buried in grave II. G. 8. at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Cemetery in Stahnsdorf
, near Potsdam
, Germany
.
, England
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(14 March 1872 - 20 September 1914) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Yate, from Madeley
Madeley, Shropshire
Madeley is a town and civil parish in Shropshire, England, now part of the new town of Telford. The parish had a population of 17,935 at the 2001 census.Madeley is recorded in the Domesday Book, having been founded before the 8th century...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, attended Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
and joined the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. He saw service in British India, Mauritius
Mauritius
Mauritius , officially the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation off the southeast coast of the African continent in the southwest Indian Ocean, about east of Madagascar...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, as an observer during the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, and between 1908 and 1914 he was on the staff of the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in London.
Early life
Major Yate was born 14 March 1872 to the Reverend PrebendaryPrebendary
A prebendary is a post connected to an Anglican or Catholic cathedral or collegiate church and is a type of canon. Prebendaries have a role in the administration of the cathedral...
George Edward Yate (1825–1908), the Vicar of St. Michael’s Church, Madeley from 1859 to 1908.
Yate was educated at Weymouth College
Weymouth College
Weymouth College is a Further Education college located in Weymouth, England.The college has over 7,000 students, studying on a wide range of practical and academic courses in many different subjects...
, and graduated from Sandhurst 9th out of 1100 cadets, and joined 2nd Battalion, the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army. It officially existed from 1881 to 1968, but its predecessors go back to 1755. The regiment's traditions and history are now maintained by The Rifles.-The 51st Foot:...
on 13 August 1892 in Bombay. He first saw action in India in the Tirah expedition
Tirah Campaign
The Tirah Campaign, often referred to in contemporary British accounts as the Tirah Expedition, was an Indian frontier war in 1897–98. Tirah is a mountainous tract of country.-Rebellion:...
from 1897 to 1898, for which he was awarded the medal and clasp of the Tirah Expedition. He was seriously wounded during the Boer War.
On 17 September 1903 he married Florence Helena Brigg, from Greenhead Hall, Yorkshire. There were no children. His cousin was Sir Charles Yate, 1st Baronet
Sir Charles Yate, 1st Baronet
Colonel Sir Charles Edward Yate, 1st Baronet CSI CMG was a British soldier and administrator in India and later a politician in Britain....
.
He was promoted to the rank of major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1912. Yate was fluent in French, German and Japanese, and could also speak Hindustani and Persian.
VC action
Yate was 42 years old, and a major in the 2nd Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, during the First World WarWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
when the following deed took place during the battle of Le Cateau
Battle of Le Cateau
The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on 26 August 1914, after the British, French and Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons and had set up defensive positions in a fighting withdrawal against the German advance at Le Cateau-Cambrésis....
for which he was awarded the VC.
On 26 August 1914 at Le Cateau
Le Cateau-Cambrésis
Le Cateau-Cambrésis is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.The term Cambrésis indicates that it lies in the county of that name which fell to the Prince-Bishop of Cambrai.-History:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Major Yate commanded one of the two companies that remained to the end in the trenches, and when all other officers had been killed or wounded and ammunition exhausted, he led his 19 survivors against the enemy in a charge in which he himself was severely wounded. He at Targau POW Camp. He was captured by the Germans and interned in a prisoner of war camp. After repeated attempts, he escaped amonth later on 19 September 1914, but was quickly apprehended by local factory workers who suspected his appearance, and cut his own throat to avoid recapture and possible execution as a spy. He died on 20 September 1914.
Four other VCs were won that day at Le Cateau, including one by Lance Corporal Frederick William Holmes
Frederick William Holmes
Captain Frederick William Holmes VC 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.Holmes was 24 years old, and a Lance Corporal in the 2nd Battalion, The King's...
.
Yate is buried in grave II. G. 8. at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
Cemetery in Stahnsdorf
Stahnsdorf
Stahnsdorf is a municipality in the Potsdam-Mittelmark district, in Brandenburg, Germany.-Geography:It is situated 20 km southwest of Berlin , and 12 km east of Potsdam.-History:...
, near Potsdam
Potsdam
Potsdam is the capital city of the German federal state of Brandenburg and part of the Berlin/Brandenburg Metropolitan Region. It is situated on the River Havel, southwest of Berlin city centre....
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry Museum in the Doncaster MuseumDoncaster Museum
Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery is a museum in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The museum won the "Most Improved Audience Figures" award from Audiences Yorkshire.-History:...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.