In March, 1901, he received his commission as Lieutenant in the 2nd Scottish Horse.
The citation of his VICTORIA CROSS reads as follows:
This officer, with five men, was holding the position at Vlakfontein on 3 July 1901 during an attack by the Boers. Two of his men were killed and two wounded, but the position was still held, largely owing to the lieutenant's personal pluck. When the ammunition ran short, he went over to the next party and obtained more; to do so he had to cross some 15 yards of open ground, under a heavy fire at a range of from 20 to 30 yards.After his retirement in 1930 he lived at Kings Road, Knock, in Belfast where he was the Northern Ireland organiser for the National Association for Employment of Regular Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen.
In August, 1939, he formed in Northern Ireland a Group of the National Defence Corps which in November of that year, became the 6th Battalion, The Royal Ulster Rifles.
In April, 1941, he left to take up an unknown appointment in the Middle East but died at sea on the 4th July. He is buried in Maala Cemetery in Aden.
A researcher from the Imperial War Museum recently advised that the English VC medal group is leaving Campbell College, Belfast, and heading to the Lord Ashcroft VC & GC Gallery in the Imperial War Museum, London, on a ten year loan.
Gavin has sent the researcher over some photos from his English VC research.
An interesting video is here:
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