FRISBY, Cyril Hubert (1885-1961); Near Graincourt, France, 27 September 1918 Plot 28

The location of his VC is in the Coldstream Guards RHQ, Wellington Barracks, London.

Cyril Frisby was born on 17th September 1885 in New Barnet, Hertfordshire. In 1911 he married Audrey Grant and they had one son. He was a member of the London Stock Exchange. In 1916 he joined the Hampshire regiment as a Private, Ist. Battalion Coldstream Guards, and gained the Rank of Captain During World War 1 on the 27th September 1918 at the Canal du Nord, Graincourt, France. When Cyril Frisby won his VC, he was aged 33.

His Citation reads:

“Captain Frisby was in command of a company detailed to capture a canal crossing, but when the canal was reached the leading platoon came under annihilating fire from a strong enemy post under the bridge on the far side of the canal. Captain Frisby with a lance-corporal (Thomas Norman Jackson, also awarded the VC) and two others, climbed down into the canal under intense fire and succeeded in capturing the post with two machine guns and 12 men. Then having consolidated his objective he gave timely support to a company which had lost all its officers and sergeants, organising the defences, and beating off a heavy counter-attack”.

After the war he spent much of his time tuna fishing. He has been described as Britain’s most famous tuna fisherman and on one day in the 1930s caught five tuna, including a 659 pounds (299 kg) specimen. He died at his home in Guildford, Surrey at the age of 75 on the 10th September 1961. He was one of the 100 holders of the VC who formed a guard of honour to the body of the Unknown Warrior in Westminster Abbey on 11th November 1920.