As Adjutant Cather did not take part in the initial assault of 1 July 1916 against the Germans near Beaumont Hamel. Of the 600 men of the 9th Battalion to go into the attack only 80 made it back to their own lines. In the aftermath of the first few hours of the battle many hundreds of the dead, dying and wounded lay in no man's land while the battle continued to rage around them. Many of the men and officers of the 36th (Ulster) Division could not listen idly to the cries for help. Cather accompanied by Capt W J Menaul, the Battalion's Intelligence Officer, crawled around no man's land bringing water to the dying and carrying or dragging many wounded soldiers to where the stretcher bearers could reach them. At all times during the rescue attempts the German machine gunners and snipers tried to pick them off. Artillery shells and mortar fire also exploded around them. Around 1030 hrs on 2 July 1916, a machine-gun burst hit them both, killing Cather and badly wounding Menaul. Cather's body is believed to have been buried near Beaumont Hamel 25 but the grave was subsequently lost and he is now remembered on the Memorial to the Missing of The Somme at Thiepval. Lieutenant Geoffrey Cather was awarded the Victoria Cross for exceptional bravery on 1 July 1916. Geoffrey Cather's award appeared in the London Gazette dated 8 September 1916 and his citation read as follows: His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Temp. Lt. Geoffrey St. George Shillington Cather, late R. lr. Fus For most conspicuous bravery. From 7 p.m. till midnight he searched ' No Man's Land,' and brought in three wounded men. Next morning at 8 a.m. he continued his search, brought in another wounded man, and gave water to others, arranging for their rescue later. Finally, at 10.30 a.m., he took out water to another man, and was proceeding further on when he was himself killed. All this was carried out in full view of the enemy and under direct machine gun fire and intermittent artillery fire. He set a splendid example of courage and self-sacrifice.