Description
Physical description
cross patté (described in the Royal Warrant as a 'Maltese cross of bronze') having at its centre a crown surmounted by 'lion gardant'; beneath the crown an ornamentally draped scroll bearing the motto: 'FOR VALOUR'. Raised borders outline the shape of the cross. The plain reverse bears a central circle (with raised edge) to enclose the date of the act of gallantry. The suspension bar comprises a straight laurelled bar with integral 'V' lug; the plain reverse of the suspension bar is engraved with details of the recipient. The 1½-inch wide ribbon is crimson.
[Note: originally the ribbon was dark blue for Royal Navy recipients and crimson (described as 'red' in the Warrants) for the Army. After the formation of the Royal Air Force (1 April 1918) the crimson ribbon (sometimes described as 'claret', 'maroon' or 'dark red') was adopted for all recipients. When present, a straight laurelled Bar (in the same form as the suspension bar but without the 'V' lug) indicates a subsequent award.]
Label
Second Lieutenant E. F. Baxter VC 1/8th (Irish) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (TF).
Edward Felix Baxter (18 Sep 1885-18 Apr 1916) , the son of Charles and Beatrice Baxter, was born in Worcestershire and educated at Hartlebury Grammar School and Christ's Hospital. He was teaching at Skerry's College, Liverpool when the First World War broke out. A keen sporting motorcyclist, he originally enlisted as a despatch rider before being commissioned in September 1915. While preparing for a trench raid near Blairville in April 1916, Baxter was with a party, which spent two nights cutting the German wire. On one occasion a bomb, with its pin withdrawn, slipped from his hand. Baxter instantly picked it up and removed its detonator, which he smothered in the earth to prevent the alarm being raised. During the raid itself, on the night of 17-18 April, he led the storming party - known as the 'Forty Thieves'- with great gallantry. The first into the German trench, he shot a sentry with his revolver, then helped to bomb German dug-outs and afterwards assisted the last of his men back over the parapet. He was never seen alive again and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. It is believed that the Germans buried him. His grave was discovered during the British advance in 1918 and he was re-interred in Fillièvres British Cemetery
Felix Baxter was a member of the Liverpool Motor Club, the West Moorland & Coventry & Warwickshire clubs, and was often seen on the track at Brooklands in the Tourist Trophy Race. He had also carried off several cups and medals in other events. In 1913, he won the ' Liverpool Auto Cycle Club's Reliability Trials. He left a wife and young daughter, Leonora. King George V presented Baxter's widow with his VC at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace on 29 November 1916. The medal was presented to the Museum in 1988.
Label
Edward Felix Baxter VC
Edward Felix Baxter, known as Felix, was born in Worcestershire in 1885 and worked as a teacher in Liverpool. He joined the Army as a motorcycle dispatch rider, before becoming an officer in the 1/8th Battalion, King's (Liverpool Regiment).
On the night of 17/18 April 1916, Felix led a party of men in a trench raid. Quietly moving into position, Felix accidentally dropped a live hand grenade. In a matter of seconds he picked it up and disarmed it before it could explode. After ensuring his men safely left the trench after the raid, he was never seen again.
Felix was awarded the Victoria Cross for his quick-thinking and extreme bravery. He risked his life for the sake of his men and ultimately lost his life.
History note
Biographical note (recipient): Second Lieutenant E F Baxter VC, 1/8th (Irish) Battalion, The King's (Liverpool Regiment) (TF).
Edward Felix Baxter (18 September 1885 - 18 April 1916), the son of Charles and Beatrice Baxter, was born in Worcestershire and educated at Hartlebury Grammar School and Christ's Hospital. He was teaching at Skerry's College, Liverpool when the First World War broke out. A keen sporting motorcyclist, he was a member of the Liverpool Motor Club, the West Moorland & Coventry & Warwickshire clubs, and was often seen on the track at Brooklands in the Tourist Trophy Race. He also carried off several cups and medals in other events and in 1913 won the 'Liverpool Auto Cycle Club's Reliability Trials'. Baxter originally enlisted as a despatch rider before being commissioned in September 1915.
While preparing for a trench raid near Blairville in April 1916, Baxter was with a party, which spent two nights cutting the German wire. On one occasion a bomb, with its pin withdrawn, slipped from his hand. Baxter instantly picked it up and removed its detonator, which he smothered in the earth to prevent the alarm being raised. During the raid itself, on the night of 17-18 April, he led the storming party - known as the 'Forty Thieves' - with great gallantry. The first into the German trench, he shot a sentry with his revolver, then helped to bomb German dug-outs and afterwards assisted the last of his men back over the parapet. He was never seen alive again and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. It is believed that the Germans buried him. His grave was discovered during the British advance in 1918 and he was re-interred in Fillièvres British Cemetery
He left a wife and young daughter, Leonora. King George V presented Baxter's widow with his VC at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace on 29 November 1916. The medal was presented to the Museum in 1988.
Inscription
2nd LT.E.F.BAXTER LATE 1/8th BN L'POOL R. T.F.
Inscription
17-18 APL 1916