Gordon Flowerdew
A Canadian cavalry officer whose suicidal charge at Moreuil Wood became a legendary, if horrific, act of valor that earned the Victoria Cross.
1885–1918 (age 33)·English-born Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross·Birthday: January 2·The Lost Generation
Biography
Gordon Flowerdew's story is one of transplanted courage. Born in England, he found his purpose on a Canadian ranch and later in the uniform of Lord Strathcona's Horse. By March 1918, the German Spring Offensive was threatening to break the Allied lines. At Moreuil Wood, with infantry faltering, Lieutenant Flowerdew was ordered to take his squadron of mounted troops into a desperate action. Sighted by German machine guns in an open field, he chose not to retreat but to lead a full gallop charge directly into the enemy positions. The action was carnage; Flowerdew was mortally wounded and over seventy percent of his men were killed or wounded. Yet, the shocking ferocity of the charge disrupted the German advance, helping to save the strategic position. His posthumous Victoria Cross commemorates a moment of transcendent sacrifice from a fading age of warfare.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Gordon was born in 1885, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Gordon Was Born
The biggest hits of 1885
Gordon's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1885Born
Karl Benz builds the first gasoline-powered automobile
President: Grover Cleveland
1890Started school
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1898Became a teenager
Spanish-American War; US emerges as a world power
President: William McKinley
1901Could drive
Queen Victoria dies, ending the Victorian era
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1903Could vote
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Turned 21
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1915Turned 30
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Died at 33
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his leadership and valor during the charge at the Battle of Moreuil Wood on March 30, 1918.
- His action is credited with helping to halt the German advance at a critical point during the Spring Offensive.
- Served as an officer in the Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), a prestigious Canadian cavalry regiment.
Did You Know?
He was a rancher in British Columbia before enlisting at the outbreak of World War I.
The charge at Moreuil Wood was one of the last significant cavalry charges in Western European warfare.
A memorial at Moreuil Wood commemorates the charge of Lord Strathcona's Horse.
His Victoria Cross citation notes he was 'already wounded' when he gave the order to charge.
“It's a charge, boys. We'll take them on the gallop.”
