George Henry Prowse was born in Brynsion Terrace, Gilfach Goch, on 29th August 1886. George married his wife, Sarah Lewis, on 8th November 1913. He soon enlisted into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and served in the Drake Battalion in the Royal Naval Division, which eventually took him to the First World War battlefields of France and Flanders.
George joined the war in Gallipoli in 1915, before heading to Marseilles in 1916 where he was shot on the first day of the Battle on Ancre. George recovered from his gunshot wound, and as Chief Petty Officer, he returned to active service where he led a group which captured a strongpoint and took 23 prisoners and five machine guns. George displayed great heroism in dangerous situations on three further occasions, which led to him being awarded the Victoria Cross which is the highest military award for bravery.
On 27th September 1918, just two months before the end of the First World War, Chief Petty Officer George Prowse, was killed in action, aged 32. His body was never found.
Under a year later, on 17th July 1919, George’s Victoria Cross was presented to his widow, Sarah, at Buckingham Palace by King George V.
In 1962, Sarah auctioned George’s VC which fetched £650 (£12,800 in today’s value), and was bought by a private collector. Sarah later emigrated to Canada without trace.
George’s medals including the VC, DCM, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19, are now all on display in the Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum in London.
On 21st October 2006, an event was held to unveil a Blue Plaque to memorialise the place where George was born in Gilfach Goch.
On 29th September 2018, which was a fine sunny day, the local community joined many dignitaries in a parade and commemorative event where a memorial to George Prowse was unveiled. The dignitaries included the Deputy Leader of the Council, Cllr Maureen Webber; Mayor of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Cllr Steve Powderhill; Chaplain of the Fleet, MP, AM/MS, and the Vice Lord Lieutenant of Mid Glamorgan Royal Naval Association.
Shipmate David Morgan, Rhondda RNA, gave the following reading of the Victoria Cross Citation:
No. WZ/424 Chief Petty Officer George Prowse, R.N.V.R. (Landore). For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when, during an advance, a portion of his company became disorganised by heavy machine-gun fire from an enemy strong point. Collecting what men were available he led them with great coolness and bravery against this strong point, capturing it together with twenty-three prisoners and five machine-guns. Later, he took a patrol forward in face of much enemy opposition, and established it on important high ground. On another occasion he displayed great heroism by attacking single-handed an ammunition limber which was trying to recover ammunition, killing three men who accompanied it and capturing the limber. Two days later he rendered valuable services when covering the advance of his company with a Lewis-gun section, and located later on two machine-gun positions in a concrete emplacement, which were holding up the advance of the battalion on the right. With complete disregard of personal danger he rushed forward with a small party and attacked and captured these posts, killing six enemy and taking thirteen prisoners and two machine guns. He was the only survivor of this gallant party, but by this daring and heroic action he enabled the battalion on the right to push forward without further machine-gun fire from the village. Throughout the whole operations his magnificent example and leadership were an inspiration to all, and his courage was superb.