# Basil Horsfall

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British-Ceylonese recipient of the Victoria Cross

Basil Arthur Horsfall Lt. Basil Arthur Horsfall VC Born 4 October 1887 Colombo, Ceylon Died 21 March 1918 (aged 30) Between Moyenneville and Ablainzevelle, France Allegiance United Kingdom Branch British Army Service years 1917 – 1918 Rank Second Lieutenant Unit Ceylon Engineer Volunteers East Lancashire Regiment Conflicts World War I † Awards Victoria Cross

[Second Lieutenant](/source/Second_Lieutenant) **Basil Arthur Horsfall**, [VC](/source/Victoria_Cross) (4 October 1887 – 27 March 1918) was a [British](/source/United_Kingdom)-[Ceylonese](/source/Ceylon) recipient of the [Victoria Cross](/source/Victoria_Cross), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [British](/source/United_Kingdom) and [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations) forces.

## Early life

Born on 4 October 1887 in [Colombo](/source/Colombo), [Ceylon](/source/Ceylon) (now [Sri Lanka](/source/Sri_Lanka)), Horsfall was educated at [S. Thomas' College, Mount Lavinia](/source/S._Thomas'_College%2C_Mount_Lavinia) in [Ceylon](/source/Ceylon)[1] and at [Sir William Borlase's Grammar School](/source/Sir_William_Borlase's_Grammar_School),[2] [Marlow](/source/Marlow%2C_Buckinghamshire) in [England](/source/England). He left a position with [Barclay's Bank](/source/Barclays), London, to become a rubber planter back in Ceylon, where he also held a civil service position with the Public Works Department and served with the [Ceylon Engineer Volunteers](/source/Sri_Lanka_Engineers). During [World War I](/source/World_War_I), he returned to Britain in July 1916 to enlist in the [British Army](/source/British_Army) and was commissioned as a [2nd Lieutenant](/source/2nd_Lieutenant) in the [East Lancashire Regiment](/source/East_Lancashire_Regiment) in December. He was wounded at Rouex on 11 May 1917 while serving with the 1st Battalion. After recovering from his wound he joined the 11th Battalion, (the [Accrington Pals](/source/Accrington_Pals)), in the autumn of 1917.[3]

## Victoria Cross

On 21 March 1918, between [Moyenneville](/source/Moyenneville%2C_Pas-de-Calais) and [Ablainzevelle](/source/Ablainzevelle), [France](/source/France), the Germans attacked positions held by Second Lieutenant Horsfall's centre [platoon](/source/Platoon). After his three forward sections were driven back, he was wounded in the [head](/source/Human_head) by enemy fire. Ignoring the wound, he immediately reorganised what remained of his troops and counterattacked to regain his original position. Despite the severity of his head wound, he refused to go to the dressing station, as the three other [officers](/source/Officer_(armed_forces)) in his [company](/source/Company_(military_unit)) had been killed. Later, he made another counterattack, but was ordered to withdraw. The last to leave his position, he was shot soon afterwards.[4][5]

## Distinctions and tributes

- [Victoria Cross](/source/Victoria_Cross). Horsfall's medal is kept in the [Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum](/source/Queen's_Lancashire_Regiment_Museum) at [Fulwood Barracks](/source/Fulwood_Barracks), Preston, Lancashire.

- Horsfall's name is on the [Arras Memorial](/source/Arras_Memorial) in France. It is not known where he is buried.[6]

- The school of Ablainzevelle was named after Horsfall in 2019.[7]

There is a blue plaque commemorating Horsfall on the front wall of Borlase School in Marlow. His name is recorded on the war memorial inside the school chapel and a replica of his VC is placed inside the chapel.

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** *Well done S. Thomas' Esto perpetua*, By T. D. S. A. Dissanayaka

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Dowager Duchess of Devonshire visits childhood home](http://www.wycombe.gov.uk/news.asp?step=4&contentID=801)[*[permanent dead link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Link_rot)*]

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Jackson, pp. 167–8.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["No. 30697"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30697/supplement/6058). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 21 May 1918. p. 6058.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Jackson, pp. 173–4.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** [CWGC entry](http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/784223)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** ["Ablainzevelle - L'école porte désormais le nom du lieutenant Basil Arthur Horsfall"](http://www.lavoixdunord.fr/562574/article/2019-04-03/l-ecole-porte-desormais-le-nom-du-lieutenant-basil-arthur-horsfall). *La Voix du Nord* (in French). Retrieved 6 April 2019.

## References

- Andrew Jackson, *Accrington's Pals: The Full Story*, Barnsley, Pen & Sword, 2013, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781-84884-469-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781-84884-469-8).

- Buzzell, Nora, ed. (1997). *[The Register of the Victoria Cross](/source/The_Register_of_the_Victoria_Cross)*. [Cheltenham](/source/Cheltenham), Gloucestershire: This England Alma House. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-906324-27-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-906324-27-0).

- Gliddon, Gerald (2013) [2004]. *Spring Offensive 1918*. [VCs of the First World War](/source/VCs_of_the_First_World_War). [Stroud](/source/Stroud), [Gloucestershire](/source/Gloucestershire): [The History Press](/source/The_History_Press). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-7524-8730-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-7524-8730-4).

- [Harvey, David](/source/David_Charles_Harvey) (2000). *[Monuments to Courage](/source/Monuments_to_Courage)*. Naval & Military Press Ltd. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-84342-356-1](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-84342-356-1).

## External links

- [Basil Horsfall](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/9488151) at [Find a Grave](/source/Find_a_Grave)

- [Article about Basil Arthur Horsfall](http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/2151598.marlow_soldier_honoured_90_years_ago_today/)

v t e Duke of Lancaster's Regiment Predecessors 1st generation Border Regiment (1881–1959) East Lancashire Regiment (1881–1958) King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) (1680–1959) Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) (1881–1970) Manchester Regiment (1881–1958) South Lancashire Regiment (1881–1958) 34th (Cumberland) Regiment of Foot (1702–1881) 55th (Westmorland) Regiment of Foot (1755–1881) King's Regiment (Liverpool) (1685–1958) 63rd (West Suffolk) Regiment of Foot (1744–1881) 96th Regiment of Foot (1798–1881) 30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment of Foot (1702–1881) 59th (2nd Nottinghamshire) Regiment of Foot (1755–1881) 40th (the 2nd Somersetshire) Regiment of Foot (1717–1881) 82nd Regiment of Foot (Prince of Wales's Volunteers) (1793–1881) 47th (Lancashire) Regiment of Foot (1741–1881) 81st Regiment of Foot (Loyal Lincoln Volunteers) (1793–1881) 2nd generation King's Own Royal Border Regiment (1959–2006) King's Regiment (1958–2006) Lancashire Regiment (1958–1970) Queen's Lancashire Regiment (1970–2006) Victoria Cross recipients Thomas Grady Harry Christian James Miller Jack White Tom Fletcher Mayson Albert Halton Joseph Henry Collin James Hewitson Thomas Neely William Robert Fontaine Addison Harry Hampton Henry James Knight William Edward Heaton Joseph Harcourt Tombs Edward Felix Baxter Arthur Herbert Procter David Jones Oswald Reid Jack Thomas Counter James Pitts Robert Scott James Leach John Hogan Issy Smith William Forshaw George Stringer George Evans Charles Harry Coverdale Walter Mills Wilfrith Elstob Alfred Robert Wilkinson James Kirk George Stuart Henderson John McDermond Mark Walker John Lucas Euston Sartorius Spencer Bent Henry Edward Kenny William Young Alfred Victor Smith Richard Basil Brandram Jones Thomas Orde Lawder Wilkinson Gabriel Coury John Readitt William Ratcliffe John Thomas Davies Basil Horsfall Marcus Ervine-Andrews Willward Alexander Sandys-Clarke See also King's Division King's and Cheshire Regiment Lancastrian and Cumbrian Volunteers Lancashire Militia

Authority control databases: People Commonwealth War Graves Commission

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Basil Horsfall](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Horsfall) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_Horsfall?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.