53422 Christopher FURNESS, VC, 1 Welsh Guards

From The Times, Feb 08, 1946:

A POSTHUMOUS V.C.
GALLANTRY AT ARRAS IN 1940

The King has approved the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross to Lieutenant the Honourable Christopher FURNESS (53422), WELSH GUARDS.

Lieutenant FURNESS was in command of the Carrier Platoon, WELSH GUARDS, from May 17 to 24, 1940, when his battalion formed part of the garrison of Arras. During this time his platoon was constantly patrolling in advance of, or between, the widely dispersed parts of the perimeter, and fought many local actions with the enemy. Lieutenant FURNESS, says the official citation, displayed the highest qualities of leadership and dash on all these occasions and imbued his command with a magnificent offensive spirit.

During the evening of May 23 Lieutenant FURNESS was wounded when on patrol, but he refused to be evacuated. By this time the enemy, considerably reinforced, had encircled the town o three sides and withdrawal to Douai was ordered during the night of May 23-24. Lieutenant FURNESS's platoon, together with a small force of light tanks, were ordered to cover the withdrawal of the transport consisting of over 40 vehicles.

About 2.30 a.m. on May 24 the enemy attacked on both sides of the town. At one point the enemy advanced to the road along which the transport columns were withdrawing, bring them under very heavy small arms and anti-tank gun fire. Thus the whole column was blocked and placed in serious jeopardy. Immediately, Lieutenant FURNESS, appreciating the seriousness of the situation, and in spite of his wounds, decided to attack the enemy, who were located in a strongly entrenched position behind wire. He advanced with three carriers, supported by the light tanks. At once the enemy opened up with very heavy fire from small arms and anti-tank guns. The light tanks were put out of action, but Lieutenant FURNESS continued to advance. He reached the enemy position and circled it several times at close range, inflicting heavy losses. All three carriers were hit and most of their crews killed or wounded. His own carrier was disabled and the driver and Bren gunner killed. He then engaged the enemy in personal hand-to-hand combat until he was killed. "His magnificent act of self-sacrifice against hopeless odds, and when already wounded," the citation continues, "made the enemy withdraw for the time being and enabled the large column of vehicles to get clear unmolested and covered the evacuation of some of the wounded of his own carrier platoon and the light tanks."

This is the 174th V.C. of the war and the fifty-ninth awarded in the Army.

Lieutenant FURNESS, who was 28, was the elder and half brother of the present Viscount FURNESS and a son of the first Viscount by his first marriage. His father died five months after his son, who, had he been alive, would have inherited the title. Lieutenant FURNESS, at the time of his death, was engaged to the Princess Natasha Bagration, a cousin of the Duchess of Kent, and they were to have been married on his next leave. He was a keen big game hunter and was joint master of the County Limerick Hunt from 1936.

 

Casualty
Lieutenant FURNESS, THE HON. CHRISTOPHER
Service Number 53422
Died 24/05/1940
Aged 28
1st Bn. Welsh Guards
V C
Son of Marmaduke Furness, 1st Viscount Furness, and of the Viscountess Furness (nee Hogg), of Westminster, London.
Commemorated at DUNKIRK MEMORIAL
Location: Nord, France
Number of casualties: 4511
Cemetery/memorial reference: Column 34.

CITATION:
The citation in the London Gazette of 5th February, 1946, gives the following details
Lt. Furness was in command of the Carrier Platoon, Welsh Guards, from May 17th-24th, 1940, at Arras. His extremely high degree of leadership and dash imbued his command with a magnificent offensive spirit during their constant patrols and many local actions throughout this period. On May 22nd, 1940, he was wounded, but refused to be evacuated. The enemy had encircled the town on three sides, and Lt. Furness's platoon, together with a small force of light tanks, were ordered to cover the withdrawal of over 40 transport vehicles to Douai. Heavy small arms and anti-tank gun fire blocked the column. Lt. Furness, realising the seriousness of the situation, with three carriers and the light tanks attacked at close quarters the strongly entrenched enemy, inflicting heavy losses. His carriers were hit, most of their crews killed or wounded, and the tanks were put out of action. When his own carrier was disabled and the driver and gunner killed, Lt. Furness, despite his wounds, engaged the enemy in hand to hand combat until he was killed. His magnificent act of self-sacrifice against hopeless odds made the enemy withdraw long enough to allow the large transport column to get clear unmolested, and to permit the evacuation of some of the wounded of his own platoon and of the light tanks.

 

Personal Number: 53422
Rank: Lieutenant
Name: Christopher FURNESS, VC
Unit: Welsh Guards


London Gazette : 26 July 1932
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33849/page/4865/data.pdf
The undermentioned to be 2nd Lts. 27th July 1932:—
FOOT GUARDS.
W. G'ds.—
The Hon. Christopher Furness (late Cadet, Eton Coll. Contgt., Jun. Div., O.T.C.).

London Gazette : 1 February 1935
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34129/page/773/data.pdf
The undermentioned 2nd Lts., from Supp. List, Res. of Off., to be 2nd Lts. 1st Feb. 1935 :
FOOT GUARDS.
W. G'ds.—
Hon. Christopher FURNESS, W. G'ds.

London Gazette : 23 October 1942
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/35757/page/4625/data.pdf
Re The Honourable CHRISTOPHER FURNESS, Deceased.
Pursuant to the Trustee Act, 1925.
NOTICE is hereby given that all creditors and other persons having any debts claims or demands against the estate of The Hon. Christopher Furness late of Burrough Court Melton Mowbray in the county of Leicester in England a Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards who died on or since the 24th day of May 1940 and probate of whose Will was granted out of the Principal Probate Registry on the 24th day of March 1942 to William Jessup Wilson the sole executor therein named, are hereby required to send particulars thereof in writing to us, the undersigned, the Solicitors for the executor, on or before the 3ist day of December 1942 after which date the executor will proceed to distribute the assets of the deceased amongst the persons entitled thereto having regard only to the claims debts or demands of which he shall then have had notice and he will not be liable for the assets of the said deceased or any part thereof so distributed to any person or persons of whose debts claims or demands he shall not then have had notice.—Dated this 20th day of October 1942.
MIDDLETON and CO., 52, John Street, Sunder- (109) land, Solicitors for the said Executor.

London Gazette : 7 February 1946
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37458/supplement/847/data.pdf
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the posthumous award of the VICTORIA CROSS to: —
Lieutenant The Honourable Christopher FURNESS (53422), Welsh Guards.