Walter Leigh Rayfield

Walter Leigh Rayfield VC (7 October 1881 – 19 February 1949) was a Canadian 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. Rayfield was one of the seven Canadians to be awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions on one single day, 2 September 1918, for actions across the 30 km long Drocourt-Quéant Line near Arras, France. The other six were Bellenden Hutcheson, Arthur George Knight, William Henry Metcalf, Claude Joseph Patrick Nunney, Cyrus Wesley Peck and John Francis Young.

Walter Leigh Rayfield
Born(1881-10-07)7 October 1881
Richmond, London, England
Died19 February 1949(1949-02-19) (aged 67)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Buried
Prospect Cemetery, Toronto
Allegiance Canada
Service/branchCanadian Expeditionary Force
RankCaptain
Unit7th Battalion (1st British Columbia), CEF
Battles/warsFirst World War
AwardsVictoria Cross
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
Other workPrison Governor
Sergeant-at-Arms

Details

Rayfield was 36 years old, and a private in the 7th (1st British Columbia) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

These events took place from 2–4 September 1918 during the operations east of Arras, France:

Ahead of his company, he rushed a trench occupied by a large party of the enemy, personally bayoneting two and taking ten prisoners. Later, he located and engaged with great skill, under constant rifle fire, an enemy sniper who was causing many casualties. He then rushed the section of trench from which the sniper had been operating, and so demoralised the enemy by his coolness and daring that thirty others surrendered to him. Again, regardless of his personal safety, he left cover under heavy machine-gun fire and carried in a badly wounded comrade..[1]

Rayfield was the Progressive Party of Canada "Soldier candidate" in the federal election of 1921 for Toronto East. Liberal nominee Mrs. Philip G. Kiely (Elizabeth Bethune Kiely) stood aside for Rayfield, so that her votes could go to him, but the Conservative candidate won. He was Sergeant-at-Arms of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and governor of Toronto Jail.

He died in 1949, and is buried at Prospect Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Soldier's Plot, Section 7, grave 4196).

The Medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

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References
  1. "No. 31067". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 1918. p. 14779.
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