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'The Late Major C.A.L Yate, V.C.', cigarette card, 1915

Cigarette card, Number 20 from the 1st series of 'The Great War Victoria Cross Heroes', one of 8 sets of 25 cigarette cards, issued by Gallaher Limited, Belfast and London, 1915-1916.

Posthumous portrait of Major Charles Allix Lavington Yate (1872-1914), King's Own (Yorkshire Light Infantry), after a photograph by Elliot and Fry. The reverse of the card summarises Yate's act of gallantry. It records that Yate, 'won this honour at Le Cateau, Aug. 26th, 1914. This brave officer and his company made a last stand in trenches. When practically all had been disabled and all ammunition was ex-pended, Major Yate led the remnant in a gallant charge, and was mortally wounded.'.

Yate was a veteran of the Boer War (1899-1902) who was wounded at the Battle of Graspan on 25 November 1899. He also served on the North West Frontier of India and acted as an observer with Japanese forces during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905).

Following the action at Le Cateau, Yate was captured. Yate escaped from Torgau prison camp on 19 September 1914. He was soon apprehended by German civilians. Yate, wearing civilian clothes, apparently cut his own throat with a razor blade to avoid recapture and interrogation. He died on 20 September 1914.

Cigarette cards were produced from the mid 1870s until the end of World War Two (1939-1945). Used to strengthen thin cigarette packs the cards were quickly developed into advertising devices. Series of cards covering every conceivable subject, from sportsmen to flora and fauna, were produced to encourage collectors and potential smokers alike.

One of a collection of 103 cigarette cards.

NAM Accession Number

NAM. 1984-04-30-17

Copyright/Ownership

National Army Museum, Out of Copyright

Location

National Army Museum, Study Collection

Object URL

https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1984-04-30-17