Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey VC , CBE , MC , Croix de Guerre ( born 1 September 1888 , Athboy , County Meath , Ireland – died Fort Macleod , Alberta , 24 August 1980 ) was an Irish Canadian rugby union player and soldier . During the First World War , while serving in the Canadian Army , he was awarded the Victoria Cross , the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre . He was later awarded a CBE . His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Regiments . It is the only VC currently on display in the world that shows both sides of the medal . Educated at Portora Royal High School and Ellesmere College , Harvey played rugby for both Wanderers and Ireland . He is one of three Ireland rugby union internationals to have been awarded the Victoria Cross . The other two are Tom Crean and Robert Johnston , who both served in the Second Boer War . Like Harvey , Crean and Johnston also played for Wanderers . His two brothers Arnold and Duncan were also notable sportsmen . Both also represented Ireland at rugby , while Arnold also represented Ireland at cricket and athletics . Rugby international . Harvey made two senior appearances for Ireland . He played in the 1907 Home Nations Championship against Wales at Cardiff Arms Park , losing 29 - 0 . His team mates on the day included James Cecil Parke and Basil Maclear . He played for Ireland for the second and last time in the 1911 Five Nations Championship at the Mardyke , winning 25 - 5 against France . Military career . Harvey first arrived in Canada in 1908 where he worked as a surveyor in northern Alberta and High River . On May 18 , 1916 he enlisted in the 13th Regiment , Canadian Mounted Rifles , at Medicine Hat , Alberta . He was subsequently commissioned as a lieutenant and posted to the Western Front in 1916 . He then transferred to Lord Strathcona ' s Horse ( Royal Canadians ) , part of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade . Harvey was awarded the Victoria Cross following an incident on March 27 , 1917 at the village of Guyencourt . " During an attack by his regiment on a village , a party of the enemy ran forward to a wired trench just in front of the village , and opened rapid fire and machine - gun fire at a very close range , causing heavy casualties in the leading troop . At this critical moment , when the enemy showed no intention whatever of retiring , and fire was still intense , Lt . Harvey , who was in command of the leading troops , ran forward well ahead of his men and dashed at the trench , skilfully manned , jumped the wire , shot the machine - gunner and captured the gun . His most courageous act undoubtedly had a decisive effect on the success of the operations " Harvey was originally awarded the Distinguished Service Order but this was later upgraded to a VC . In March 1918 , Harvey was also awarded the Military Cross for the same action that earned Lt . Gordon Flowerdew the VC . After the war Harvey remained with Lord Strathcona ’ s Horse and was promoted to captain in 1923 . He then served as the Instructor in Physical Training at the Royal Military College of Canada from 1923 to 1927 . In 1938 , he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and became the commanding officer of Lord Strathcona ’ s Horse . In 1939 , he was made a brigadier general and commander of the 13th Alberta Military District . Later years . Harvey retired in December 1945 , but maintained an active interest in horses as a judge of hunter and jumper competitions . He also served as Honorary Colonel of Lord Strathcona ’ s Horse from 1958 to 1966 . He died aged 91 years and was buried at Union Cemetery in Fort Macleod , Alberta .