Marcus Ervine-Andrews
| Harold Marcus Ervine-Andrews | |
|---|---|
 Victoria Cross Medal |
|
| Born | 29 July 1911 Keadue, County Cavan, Ireland |
| Died | 30 March 1995 (aged 83) Cornwall, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  British Army |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Unit | The East Lancashire Regiment |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Lieutenant Colonel Harold Marcus Ervine-Andrews VC (29 July 1911, Keadue, County Cavan, Ireland – 30 March 1995) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was educated by the Jesuits at Stonyhurst College, Lancashire and is one of seven recipients of the VC who were educated at Stonyhurst.
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[edit] Details
He was 28 years old, and a captain in The East Lancashire Regiment, British Army during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. During the night of 31 May/1 June 1940, near Dunkirk, France, the company commanded by Captain Ervine-Andrews was heavily outnumbered and under intense German fire. When the enemy attacked at dawn and crossed the Canal de Bergues, Ervine-Andrews, with volunteers from his company, rushed to a barn and from the roof shot 11 of the enemy with a rifle and many more with a Bren gun.
When the barn was shattered and alight, he sent the wounded to the rear and led the remaining eight men back, wading for over a mile in water up to their chins. The group of eight, including privates Jago and Singleton, traveled through rough enemy lines to the blood-soaked beaches and finally escaped back to England on 4 June 1940.[citation needed]
[edit] Family
Harold Ervine-Andrews married Emily Torrie in 1939 with whom he had two children; a girl born in 1941 and a boy in 1943. Their marriage was dissolved in 1952. She died in 1975, thus permitting him to remarry, in 1981, to Margaret Gregory. This union was childless.
[edit] Post-WWII
Ervine-Andrews attempted to return home to his native County Cavan after the war, but was driven out by local members of the IRA and later settled in Cornwall.[citation needed]
He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. The last Irish VC to die, he died on 30 March 1995, aged 83. His memorial is at Stonyhurst College, Clitheroe, Lancashire. His VC is held at Blackburn Museum.
[edit] References
Listed in order of publication year:
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (1981, 1988 and 1997)
- The Irish Sword (Brian Clark 1986)
- Ireland's VCs (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
- British VCs of World War 2 (John Laffin, 1997)
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
[edit] External links
- Captain H.M. Ervine Andrews in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives
- Grave and V.C. medal locations
- Marcus Ervine-Andrews at Find a Grave
