James Firth

Early life and family He was born in Sheffield, son of Charles Firth, steel smelter, of Sheffield, later residing in Jarrow-on-Tyne, and Elizabeth Lister also of Sheffield. He joined the Army on 29 July 1889. in June 1897 he married Florence Edwards of Swineshead, Lincolnshire (born 1876) and they had three children: Joseph Wallis Firth, born 1902 (died in 1912, after choking on a playing marble), Alleyne Gatehouse Firth, born 25 June 1903, and Cecil James Firth, born 18 December 1907.

Military career Firth was 26 years old, and a sergeant in the 1st Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 24 February 1900 near Arundel, Cape Colony for which he was awarded the VC:

He returned to the United Kingdom in early 1901, and received the VC from King Edward VII during an investiture at Marlborough House 25 July 1901.

Death

He died of tuberculosis in May 1921

The medal The medal is in the Lord Ashcroft Collection.