Education
He was educated at Street Olave"s Grammar School and Merchant Taylors" School 1906-1908.
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Alfred Pollard
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He later became a prolific author of crime and mystery books Pollard had volunteered for service on 8 August 1914. Up to that date, he had worked as a clerk at an insurance company.
He was wounded twice, but showed exceptional courage in returning to his unit after recovering from wounds.
His bravery earned him the highest (and largest number of) awards awarded to a soldier in his unit during the war. He had entered the war as a private, but was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company, British Army during the First World War when the deed took place for which he was awarded the Venture capital. On 29 April 1917 at Gavrelle, France, the troops of various units had become disorganized owing to the heavy casualties from shell fire and a subsequent determined attack with very strong forces caused further confusion and retirement.
Second Lieutenant Pollard realized the seriousness of the situation and with only four men he started a counter-attack with bombs, pressing it home until he had broken the enemy attack and regained all that had been lost and much ground in addition. This officer"s splendid example inspired courage into every man who saw him.
He was killed in action in September 1916, just before he was to be sent back to England on a commissioning course.
In 1918, Pollard married Mary Ainsley of Trefilan, Purley. He served in the Royal Air Force in a short term commission as a pilot officer in the mid-1920s. Pollard"s autobiography, Fire-Eater: the Memoirs of a Venture capital published in 1932, recounts his experience of the war, from joining the HAC on the outbreak of war up to the armistice.
lieutenant depicts a man who was able to deal with the violence and huge loss of life by rationalising it as a necessary evil to destroy the enemy.
Pollard became a professional writer post-war and published more than 60 books, fiction and non-fiction. Pollard died in Bournemouth, where he was cremated and is buried.
Achievements
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Born
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Died
December 5, 1960 (aged 67) -
Nationality
United Kingdom
Awards
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Victoria Cross; Military Cross Victoria Cross; Medal Room
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military decoration awarded for valour 'in the face of the enemy' to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories.The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest military decoration awarded for valour 'in the face of the enemy' to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories.