George Henry Wyatt was born in Britannia Row, Worcester on 5th September 1886. The son of Arthur and Sarah Ann (nee Mason). His father was a groom to a Worcester veterinary surgeon, but moved three years later to become a coachman at Hindlip Hall, in the employ of the Dowager Lady Hindlip.
By 1911 Wyatt had joined the Barnsley Police Force but on the outbreak of the First World War he was recalled as a Reservist. He rejoined the Coldstream Guards and as a member of the British Expeditionary Force left for France on 14th August, 1914.
The supreme honour of the Victoria Cross was awarded to George Wyatt for these two separate acts of valour, he was just 27 years old. During the Battle of Mons, the Lance Corporal was with a detachment of Coldstream Guards which came under night time attack on August 25th from an estimated force of 1,000 Germans. The Guards officers in charge of the detachment were bayoneted and its machine gun team killed, and the entire British positions were suddenly illuminated when a haystack caught fire. Under a constant hail of bullets, George Wyatt went within 25 yards of the German front line to put out the flames single handed. Even when the haystack re-ignited, he returned again to douse it.
A few days later, while involved in a rearguard action in a forest, George Wyatt was wounded in the head but continued firing at the enemy until he could no longer see through the blood streaming down his face. A medical officer bound his wound and told him to go to the rear, but he at once returned to the firing line and continued to fight.
His Victoria Cross was presented to him at Buckingham Palace on 4th March 1916 by King George V. Wyatt returned to France and was promoted to Lance Sergeant.
George Henry Wyatt was initiated into the Order in the Queen Mary Lodge 1735 (Date unknown at the present time).
If you wish to read the full storyplease click on this link No34 Victory Cross Winners Vol 2