George Henry Tatham Paton

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox military person George Henry Tatham Paton VC MC (3 October 1895 – 1 December 1917) was a Scottish 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. Paton was the first Grenadier Guards officer to win the VC since the Crimean War.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life

He was born to George William Paton who was Deputy Chairman and Managing Director of Messrs Bryant and May Ltd. He was educated at Rottingdean School, then, from September 1909 to April 1914 at Clifton College Bristol.<ref>Template:Citation</ref>

Military career

During his time as a student, Paton had participated in the Officer Training Corps and obtained a Certificate "A" military proficiency award.<ref name="PatonVCLOTFWW"/> He was commissioned in his local Territorial Force unit on 1 October 1914.<ref name="PatonVCLOTFWW"/> He continued to serve with 2/17th Battalion London Regiment in the UK throughout 1915.<ref name="PatonVCLOTFWW"/>

At the end of 1915 he applied for a Special Reserve commission in the Grenadier Guards. This was accepted, and he was appointed on 28 January 1916.<ref name="PatonVCLOTFWW"/> He was posted to the Western Front and disembarked on 8 July 1916.<ref name="PatonVCLOTFWW">Template:Lives of WWI</ref> His exploits at the Battle of Pilckem Ridge on 31 July 1917 resulted in being awarded the Military Cross. <ref name="MCcitationPatonLOTFWW">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:London Gazette</ref>

Paton was 22 years old, and an acting captain in the 4th Battalion, Grenadier Guards, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Guards Museum within Guards Regimental Headquarters (Grenadier Guards RHQ) at Wellington Barracks, London.<ref name=Ashcroft>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Further reading

• Ross, Graham (1995). Scotland's Forgotten Valour.
• Buzzell, Nora (1997). The Register of the Victoria Cross.
• Harvey, David (1999). Monuments to Courage.
• Template:Cite book