South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
=Major Phipps-Hornby, Sergeant Charles Parker, Gunner Isaac Lodge, Driver
Horace Harry Glasock=, Q Battery, R.H.A.--Four Victoria Crosses were
awarded to members of Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, for gallantry
displayed at Koorn Spruit. As every man of the battery had displayed
equally conspicuous courage, Lord Roberts decided to deal with the case
under Rule 13 of the Warrant of the Order, and allotted four badges--one
for officers, one for non-commissioned officers, and two for gunners and
drivers. The circumstances in which Major Phipps-Hornby was selected for
the honour in the first class mentioned are set forth in the following
extract from the London _Gazette_: "On the occasion of the action at
Koorn Spruit on March 31, 1900, a British force, including two batteries
of the Royal Horse Artillery, was retiring from Thabanchu towards
Bloemfontein. The enemy had formed an ambush at Koorn Spruit, and, before
their presence was discovered by the main body, had captured the greater
portion of the baggage column and five out of the six guns of the leading
battery. When the alarm was given Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, was
within 300 yards of the spruit. Major Phipps-Hornby, who commanded it, at
once wheeled about and moved off at a gallop under a very heavy fire. One
gun upset when a wheel-horse was shot, and had to be abandoned, together
with a waggon, the horses of which were killed. The remainder of the
battery reached a position close to some unfinished railway buildings,
and came into action 1150 yards from the spruit, remaining in action
until ordered to retire. When the order to retire was received, Major
Phipps-Hornby ordered the guns and their limbers to be run back by hand
to where the teams of uninjured horses stood behind the unfinished
buildings. The few remaining gunners, assisted by a number of officers
and men of a party of mounted infantry, and directed by Major
Phipps-Hornby and Captain Humphreys, the only remaining officers of the
battery, succeeded in running back four of the guns under shelter. One or
two of the limbers were similarly withdrawn by hand, but the work was
most severe and the distance considerable. In consequence, all concerned
were so exhausted that they were unable to drag in the remaining limbers
or the fifth gun. It now became necessary to risk the horses, and
volunteers were called for from among the drivers, who readily responded.
Several horses were killed, and men wounded, but at length only one gun
and one limber were left exposed. Four separate attempts were made to
rescue these, but when no more horses were available the attempt had to
be given up, and the gun and limber were abandoned. Meanwhile the other
guns had been sent on, one at a time, and, after passing within 700 or
800 yards of the enemy, in rounding the head of a donga and crossing two
spruits, they eventually reached a place of safety, where the battery was
reformed. After full consideration of the circumstances of the case, the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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