 lieutenant-colonel george thomas dorrell vc, mbe (7 july 1880 â 7 january 1971) was an english 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. joining the british army at the age of 15, dorrell served in the second boer war. he was 34 years old, and a battery sergeant major in the 'l' bty., royal horse artillery, british army during world war i when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the vc.  on 1 september 1914, at nÃ©ry, france, during a fierce attack by the enemy, all the officers of 'l' battery were either killed or wounded, including the officer (edward kinder bradbury) in command, who, although having had one leg taken off by a shell, continued to direct the firing until he died. battery sergeant-major dorrell then took over command with the support of a sergeant (david nelson) and continued to fire one of the guns until all the ammunition was expended. as brevet lieutenant colonel, dorrell served as a company commander in the home guard during world war ii. his victoria cross is displayed at the imperial war museum in london. thumb|125px|left|lt-col dorrell as depicted on a cigarette card ==references==  * find a grave profile *monuments to courage (david harvey, 1999) *the register of the victoria cross (this england, 1997) *vcs of the first world war - 1914 (gerald gliddon, 1994) ==external links== *location of grave and vc medal (surrey) *the nÃ©ry gun and medals at imperial war museum victoria cross and george cross gallery *per finsted, the affair at nÃ©ry, 1 september 1914, with map and illustrations thumb|the nery gun|125px|left {{defaultsort:dorrell, george thoma
1880_births 1923_deaths British_Army_personnel_of_World_War_I British_Army_personnel_of_the_Second_Boer_War British_Army_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross British_Home_Guard_officers British_World_War_I_recipients_of_the_Victoria_Cross Members_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire People_from_Paddington Royal_Artillery_officers Royal_Horse_Artillery_soldiers