Samuel Forsyth

Samuel Forsyth was born in Wellington, New Zealand, on 3 April 1892, one of four children of Thomas Forsyth, a night watchman on the SS Maori of Thorndon, and his wife, Grace. He attended Thorndon School and later Terrace School. After completing his education, he found employment as a gold amalgamator for the Monowai Gold Mining Company based at Thames. Forsyth participated in charity work, volunteering for the Sailor's Friend Society. He was also interested in the military and in 1910, joined the Territorial Force in which he served as a field engineer. ==First World War==

On 13 August 1914, shortly after the outbreak of the First World War, Forsyth enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force but after receiving treatment in Cairo, soon returned to duty at Gallipoli. He was lightly wounded during the August offensive later that year, but remained in the front-line. Suffering from jaundice, His name is on a memorial headstone erected by his mother Grace Forsyth at Karori Cemetery in Wellington. In the same city, a memorial tablet was erected in his honour at the premises of the Sailor's Friend Society. There is also a plaque to him in Queens Gardens in Dunedin. ==Medal==

King George V presented Forsyth's wife, Mary, with the VC in a ceremony that took place in late November 1918 at Buckingham Palace. Following her death and having never had children, Forsyth's medals, which included not only the VC but also the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal, were inherited by a nephew. They were sold in 1982 to a collector in Melbourne, Australia. The medals were purchased by Lord Ashcroft in 1992 and are on display in the Imperial War Museum. ==Notes==