Edmund John Phipps-Hornby

Major, 'Q' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery

VC
Register No.
595 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank
Major all Majors →
Unit
'Q' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery all Royal Horse Artillery VCs →
Date of action
31 March 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
Conflict / campaign
Second Boer War
London Gazette
26th June, 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
Born
31st December, 1857 at Lordington, Emsworth, Hampshire
Died
13th December, 1947 at Sonning, Berkshire
Memorial / grave
not known

Digest of citation

On 31st March, 1900 at Korn Spruit, South Africa, two batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery were ambushed with the loss of most of the baggage column and five guns of the leading battery. When the alarm was given 'Q' Battery, commanded by Major Phipps-Hornby, went into action 1150 yards from the spruit, until the order to retire was received, when the major commanded that the guns and their limbers be run back by hand to a safe place..... a most exhausting operation over a considerable distance, but at last all but one of the guns and one limber had been moved to safety and the battery reformed. Also awarded the Victoria Cross in this action was H H Glasock (reg No.452)., I. Lodge (reg No. 749) and C.E.H. Parker (reg No. 962)

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

PHIPPS-HORNBY, Edmund John. (Reg No. 595).

Major .'Q' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.

London Gazetted on 26th June, 1900.

Born on 31st December, 1857 at Lordington, Emsworth, Hampshire.

Died on 13th December, 1947 at Sonning, Berkshire.

Memorial not known.

Digest of Citation reads: On 31st March, 1900 at Korn Spruit, South Africa, two batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery were ambushed with the loss of most of the baggage column and five guns of the leading battery. When the alarm was given 'Q' Battery, commanded by Major Phipps-Hornby, went into action 1150 yards from the spruit, until the order to retire was received, when the major commanded that the guns and their limbers be run back by hand to a safe place..... a most exhausting operation over a considerable distance, but at last all but one of the guns and one limber had been moved to safety and the battery reformed. Also awarded the Victoria Cross in this action was H H Glasock (reg No.452)., I. Lodge (reg No. 749) and C.E.H. Parker (reg No. 962).

Additional information:. Brigadier-General Phipps-Hornby was a Companion of (the Order of) the Bath (CB) and a Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG). He saw service in World War One (WWI) from 1914-15. He was also Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire.

Additional information

Brigadier-General Phipps-Hornby was a Companion of (the Order of) the Bath (CB) and a Companion of St Michael and St George (CMG). He saw service in World War One (WWI) from 1914-15. He was also Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire.

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Alf recorded the memorial as: not known

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