Frederick Booth

For the British politician, see Frederick Handel Booth.

Frederick Booth
Born	(1890-03-06)6 March 1890 Holloway, London
Died	14 September 1960(1960-09-14) (aged 70) Brighton, Sussex
Buried	Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton
Allegiance	Southern Rhodesia United Kingdom
Branch	File:Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Service years	1912–1939
Rank	Captain
Unit	British South Africa Police Rhodesia Native Regiment (attached) Middlesex Regiment Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps
Conflicts	World War I World War II
Awards	Victoria Cross Distinguished Conduct Medal

Captain Frederick Charles Booth VC, DCM (6 March 1890 – 14 September 1960) was a Rhodesian 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.

Details

Booth was born in Holloway, North London, and educated at Cheltenham College. He served in the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia from 1912 to 1917 and his regimental number was 1630. He was 26 years old, and a sergeant in the British South Africa Police attached to the Rhodesian Native Regiment during the First World War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

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.

In 1918 he was commissioned into the Middlesex Regiment and in 1939 served with the Auxiliary Military Pioneer Corps.

Booth died on 14 September 1960 in Brighton, Sussex, England. He is buried at Bear Road Cemetery, Brighton, in the Red Cross Plot.

References

• VC location