Ernest George Horlock
Bombardier (Later Battery Sergeant Major), 113th Bty. Royal Field Artillery
- Register No.
- 594 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Bombardier (Later Battery Sergeant Major) (register: Bombardier) all Bombardiers →
- Unit
- 113th Bty. Royal Field Artillery all Royal Field Artillery VCs →
- Date of action
- 15 September 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 25 November 1914 on this day → all of 1914 →
- Born
- 24 October 1885 at Alton, Hampshire --
- Died
- at sea when the Aragon (9588 tons) was sunk, by submarine,
- Memorial / grave
- at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery; grave of Rear Admiral Gascoigne Robinson
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HORLOCK (Or Harlock) Ernest George. (Reg. No. 594)
Bombardier (Later Battery Sergeant Major) 113th Bty. Royal Field Artillery.
London Gazetted on 25 November 1914.
Born on 24 October 1885 at Alton, Hampshire -- Died at sea when the Aragon (9588 tons) was sunk, by submarine, off Alexandria, Egypt.-- 30 December 1917.
Memorials on grave at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery; and on a plaque of War Dead in Langrish Church, Hants.
Digest of Citation reads: On 15 September 1914 at Vendresse, France, when the 113th Battery, Royal Field Artillery was in action under heavy shell fire, Bombardier Horlock, although twice wounded, returned to lay his gun on each occasion after his wounds had been dressed, in spite of the fact that the medical officer twice ordered him to go to hospital.
Additional information: The Aragon, carrying men (including Bdr.Horlock VC) to Egypt, was attacked and sunk, with the loss of 19 lives, including the Master and Bdr Horlock., by a submarine. HMS Attack, a Destroyer, went to her aid and was also sunk by the same submarine. The date was the 30th December 1917. There is a plaque in the Church at Langrish, Hampshire, containg E.G. Horlocks name.
*REPORT IN THE PETERSFIELD POST. 10 NOVEMBER 1999.
WE WILL REMEMBER HIM:
DEFIANT GUNNER WHO WON A VC.
Langrish residents have special reason to commemorate their dead on Remembrance Sunday- the tiny village was the home for two holders of the Victoria Cross, the country's highest gallantry award. Ernest George Horlock and Eric Gascoigne Robinson were virtually forgotten until recently. In August 1998 a headstone was erected over the previously unmarked grave of Rear Admiral Gascoigne Robinson. Battery Sergeant Major Horlock was buried 82 years ago in the British Military Cemetery in Alexandria, Egypt. Petersfield British Legion Chairman, Harry Hawkins said, "We weren't aware Langrish was home to two VC holders; that certainly is special." "We didn't know about Ernest Horlock VC and at our next meeting we will look at maybe holding a service for him or erecting a memorial." BSM Horlock was awarded his VC after he was wounded in action during a German attack at Vendresse on September 15 1914. He was wounded three times. Twice he ignored doctors orders to leave the battle and go to hospital, for which he was later reprimanded. He was subsequently recommended for the VC and was later promoted to Sergeant BSM Horlock Died on in October 1917 (This is incorrect. He Died on the 30 December 1917.) when the ship in which he was travelling to Alexandria was torpedoed 10 miles from harbour. The destroyer, HMS Attack, staged a rescue, but was also torpedoed. BSM Horlock was among the 610 killed.
Born on at Beech Farm, Alton on October 24 1885, he moved, with his family, to Laundry Cottage near Langrish. His two brothers Fred and John were also killed in the war. On February 22 1914 he enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery under the name of Harlock for which, two explanations are put forward. The first, favoured by the press of the day, was that he was too young to enlist, so was passing himself off as someone older. The other explanation, that the army later altered his documentation to his correct name, was that the enlisting sergeant couldn't understand the broad Hampshire accent. BSM Horlock, then a Bombardier, was one of the 'contemptible little army' as the Kaiser labeled them, who tried to halt the German advance into France. He was serving with the 113th Battery when a German attack was launched at Vendresse. The battery's 18 pounder guns came under fire from the German artillery and he was wounded three times. On each of the first two occasions doctors ordered him to hospital, but he ignored them and returned to his gun. The third time he refused to see the doctor as he was 'scared of getting a rocket' for continuing to fight, The story of how he gained his VC soon became legend. He became known as the gunner who 'defied the doc.' · Rear Admiral Robinson was awarded his VC for an action on February 26 1915, when he single handedly blew uo two Turkish guns with a field gun at the Battle of the Dardanelles. · At 11am tomorrow, a bugler is due to play the Last Post and Reveille in Ram's Walk, Petersfield, as shoppers and shop staff observe the two minutes silence. A simple wreath laying ceremony will take place at the Burma Star memorial at the Festival Hall, organized by the British Legion.
From Alf's photographs
Horlock VC - Langrish Church, Hants (gallery)
Alf's notes on his life
and on a plaque of War Dead in Langrish Church, Hants. Digest of Citation reads: On 15 September 1914 at Vendresse, France, when the 113th Battery, Royal Field Artillery was in action under heavy shell fire, Bombardier Horlock, although twice wounded, returned to lay his gun on each occasion after his wounds had been dressed, in spite of the fact that the medical officer twice ordered him to go to hospital. Battery Sergeant Major Horlock was buried 82 years ago in the British Military Cemetery in Alexandria, Egypt. Petersfield British Legion Chairman, Harry Hawkins said, "We weren't aware Langrish was home to two VC holders; that certainly is special." "We didn't know about Ernest Horlock VC and at our next meeting we will look at maybe holding a service for him or erecting a memorial." BSM Horlock was awarded his VC after he was wounded in action during a German attack at Vendresse on September 15 1914. He was wounded three times. Twice he ignored doctors orders to leave the battle and go to hospital, for which he was later reprimanded. He was subsequently recommended for the VC and was later promoted to Sergeant BSM Horlock Died on in October 1917 (This is incorrect. He Died on the 30 December 1917.) when the ship in which he was travelling to Alexandria was torpedoed 10 miles from harbour. The destroyer, HMS Attack, staged a rescue, but was also torpedoed. BSM Horlock was among the 610 killed. Born on at Beech Farm, Alton on October 24 1885, he moved, with his family, to Laundry Cottage near Langrish. His two brothers Fred and John were also killed in the war. On February 22 1914 he enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery under the name of Harlock for which, two explanations are put forward. The first, favoured by the press of the day, was that he was too young to enlist, so was passing himself off as someone older. The other explanation, that the army later altered his documentation to his correct name, was that the enlisting sergeant couldn't understand the broad Hampshire accent. BSM Horlock, then a Bombardier, was one of the 'contemptible little army' as the Kaiser labeled them, who tried to halt the German advance into France. He was serving with the 113th Battery when a German attack was launched at Vendresse. The battery's 18 pounder guns came under fire from the German artillery and he was wounded three times. On each of the first two occasions doctors ordered him to hospital, but he ignored them and returned to his gun. The third time he refused to see the doctor as he was 'scared of getting a rocket' for continuing to fight, The story of how he gained his VC soon became legend. He became known as the gunner who 'defied the doc.' · Rear Admiral Robinson was awarded his VC for an action on February 26 1915, when he single handedly blew uo two Turkish guns with a field gun at the Battle of the Dardanelles. · At 11am tomorrow, a bugler is due to play the Last Post and Reveille in Ram's Walk, Petersfield, as shoppers and shop staff observe the two minutes silence. A simple wreath laying ceremony will take place at the Burma Star memorial at the Festival Hall, organized by the British Legion.
Additional information
The Aragon, carrying men (including Bdr.Horlock VC) to Egypt, was attacked and sunk, with the loss of 19 lives, including the Master and Bdr Horlock., by a submarine. HMS Attack, a Destroyer, went to her aid and was also sunk by the same submarine. The date was the 30th December 1917. There is a plaque in the Church at Langrish, Hampshire, containg E.G. Horlocks name. WE WILL REMEMBER HIM: DEFIANT GUNNER WHO WON A VC. Langrish residents have special reason to commemorate their dead on Remembrance Sunday- the tiny village was the home for two holders of the Victoria Cross, the country's highest gallantry award. Ernest George Horlock and Eric Gascoigne Robinson were virtually forgotten until recently. In August 1998 a headstone was erected over the previously unmarked
*REPORT IN THE PETERSFIELD POST. 10 NOVEMBER 1999.
off Alexandria, Egypt.-- 30 December 1917.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery; grave of Rear Admiral Gascoigne Robinson
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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