Arthur Bagot was an exchange recipient of the George Cross, the highest civil decoration for heroism in the United Kingdom and formerly in the Commonwealth.
15 Facts About Arthur Bagot
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Arthur Gerald Bagot was born on 26 April 1888 in Adelaide, South Australia.
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Arthur Bagot was the sixth of ten children to Christopher Michael Bagot, a sheep farmer and station owner, and Eleanor Mary.
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Arthur Bagot belonged to a distinguished family: he was a great-grandson of Admiral Edward Hawker and of pastoralist Charles Hervey Arthur Bagot, a grandson of settler and politician George Charles Hawker, and a first cousin of Lanoe Hawker, a flying ace and Victoria Cross recipient of the First World War.
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Bagot and his four brothers were educated at St Peter's College, Adelaide, before Arthur went on to Geelong Grammar School from 1903 to 1907.
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At Geelong Arthur Bagot was active in sporting and extracurricular activities.
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Arthur Bagot participated in sprint, high jump, pole vault and long jump events at the United Public School Sports, an annual athletic competition between five prestigious Victorian public schools, and set a new record in the hurdles in 1907.
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Arthur Bagot rose to sergeant in the local Australian Army Cadets unit, and was a school prefect in his final year.
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In 1916 Arthur Bagot joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve from Canada for service in the First World War.
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Arthur Bagot spent two years in Motor Launches on mostly anti-submarine and defensive duties within the Dover fleet, which was tasked with defending the southern end of the English Channel between Dover and Dunkirk.
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At the moment when others were running away, Lieutenant Hoare and Sub-Lieutenant Arthur Bagot jumped into their dinghy, rowed to the wreck, got on board, and removed the depth charge, thereby preventing an explosion which might have caused serious loss of life amongst the crowd of English and French sailors on the quay.
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Two of Arthur Bagot's elder brothers served in the First World War: Christopher, a Boer War veteran, was an officer in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, while John rose to captain in the 13th Australian Light Horse Regiment and was Mentioned in Despatches.
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At the outbreak of the Second World War, Arthur Bagot enlisted in the Citizens Military Force on 25 April 1942.
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Arthur Bagot was not fit enough to travel to London, and requested the medal be forwarded to him by registered mail.
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Aged 91, Arthur Bagot died on 12 November 1979; his wife had predeceased him by seven months.