Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby

Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby
Born	3 February 1885 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
Died	25 September 1915 (aged 30) La Bassée Canal, France
Buried at	Arras Road Cemetery, Roclincourt
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Captain
Unit	The South Staffordshire Regiment
Battles/wars	World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Military Cross

Arthur Forbes Gordon Kilby VC MC (3 February 1885 – 25 September 1915) was an English officer in the British Army during the First World War, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy awarded to British Commonwealth forces.

Forbes was born 3 February 1885 in East Hayes, Cheltenham, the only son of Sandford and Alice F. Kilby, and joined the 2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment during the First World War.

He was 30 years old, and a captain when he performed an act for which he was awarded the VC and during which he died.

Citation

For most conspicuous bravery. Captain Kilby was specially selected at his own request, and on account of the gallantry which he had previously displayed on many occasions, to attack with his Company a strong enemy redoubt. The Company charged along the narrow towpath, headed by Captain Kilby, who, though wounded at the outset, continued to lead his men right up to the enemy wire under a devastating machine gun fire and a shower of bombs. Here he was shot down, but, although his foot had been blown off, he continued to cheer on his men and to use a rifle. Captain Kilby has been missing since the date of the performance of this great act of valour, and his death has now to be presumed.

—London Gazette, dated 30 March 1916

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - The Western Front 1915 (Peter F. Batchelor & Christopher Matson, 1999)