Career
Christian was 23 years old, and a private in the 2nd Battalion, King"s Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster), British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place at Cuinchy, France, for which he was awarded the Venture capital. The citation, published in the London Gazette on 3 March 1916, read:
“Foreign most conspicuous bravery. He was holding a crater with five or six men in front of our trenches. The enemy commenced a very heavy bombardment of the position with.
Heavy "minenwerfer" bombs, forcing a temporary withdrawal.
When he found that three men were missing, Private Christian at once returned alone to the crater, and, although bombs were continually bursting actually on the edge of the crater, he found, dug out, and carried one by one into safety all three men, thereby undoubtedly saving their lives. Later he placed himself where he could see the bombs coming, and directed his comrades when and where to seek cover.”.