Location of Grave:
Stellawood Cemetery, Durban, Natal, SA
ROBERT VAUGHAN GORLE V.C.
TEMPORARY LIEUTENANT
'A' BATTERY, 50TH BRIGADE, ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY
MEDAL WON: 1ST OCT 1918, Ledeghem, Belgium.
GAZETTED: 14 DEC 1918.
BORN: 06 MAY 1896, SOUTHSEA.
DIED: 09 JAN 1937
Details of the Award
For most conspicuous bravery, initiative, and devotion to duty during the attack on Ledeghem on 1st October, 1918, when in command of an 18-pounder gun working in close conjunction with infantry. He brought his gun into action in the most exposed positions on four separate occasions, and disposed of enemy machine guns by firing over open sights under direct machine-gun fire at 500 to 600 yards range. Later, seeing that the infantry were being driven back by intense hostile fire, he, without hesitation, galloped his gun in front of the leading infantry, and on two occasions knocked out enemy machine guns which were causing the trouble. His disregard for personal safety and dash were a magnificent example to the wavering line, which rallied and re-took the northern end of the village.
Further Information
Robert Vaughan Gorle was born in Southsea to parents Harvey Vaughan Gorle, Lieutenant, 12th Company, Portsmouth, Army Service
Corps (later Major DSO) and Ethel Catherine, eldest daughter of Reverend Canon Archdall, Rector of Glanmire, Co Cork. He was educated at The Wells House, Malvern, Wells and Rugby and emigrated to Africa before the beginning of WW1. After the war he returned to Northern Rhodesia and was employed as a Librarian and in 1929 the family moved to Southern Rhodesia where Robert was a
Sergeant-at-Arms and Librarian to the Legislative Council of Southern Rhodesia. In 1924 he married Ruth (née Thomas) who died in
1971. They had a son Timothy Gorle and a daughter Drucilla Gorle.
The medal is believed to be still held by the family.
