Frank Crowther Roberts

Major-General Frank Crowther Roberts, VC, DSO, OBE, MC (2 June 1891 – 12 January 1982) was a senior British Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Roberts was educated at St Lawrence College, Ramsgate and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, where he graduated in 1911 and was subsequently commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Worcestershire Regiment of the British Army on 4 March 1911. He was sent, with his battalion, to Alexandria, Egypt the following year, to relieve the 2nd Battalion, and was there upon the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914.

The battalion returned to the United Kingdom shortly after the declaration of war and arrived there in October 1914, where it became part of the 24th Brigade of the 8th Division, which was then in process of formation. The battalion was sent to the Western Front and landed in France in early November.

He was 26 years old, and an acting lieutenant colonel in the 1st Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

During the period 22 March/2 April 1918 west of Somme and at Pargny, France, Lieutenant Colonel Roberts showed exceptional military skill in dealing with the many very difficult situations of the retirement and amazing endurance and energy in inspiring all ranks under his command. On one occasion the enemy attacked a village and had practically cleared it of our troops when Colonel Roberts got together an improvised party and led a counter-attack which temporarily drove the enemy out of the village, thus covering the retirement of troops on their flanks. The success of this action was entirely due to his personal valour and skill.

He remained in the army during the interwar period, serving briefly with the Egyptian Army in the Sudan from 1919–20, and later attended the Staff College, Camberley in 1921–22, later serving in Egypt in 1923–24 and the British Army of the Rhine. He transferred to the Royal Warwickshire Regiment in 1927, later commanding the 1st Battalion in 1937 and went with it to India. The following year he became commander of the Poona Brigade of the British Indian Army. Returning to England, he was promoted to major general on 1 June 1939, and became general officer commanding (GOC) of the 48th (South Midland) Infantry Division, a Territorial Army (TA) formation. However, he retired from the army in December of that year, in the early months of the Second World War.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Worcestershire Regimental Collection in the Worcester City Art Gallery & Museum, Worcester, Worcestershire, England.