Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn
Lieutenant, The Royal Canadian Dragoons
- Register No.
- 226 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Lieutenant all Lieutenants →
- Unit
- The Royal Canadian Dragoons all Royal Canadian Dragoons VCs →
- Date of action
- 7 November 1900 on this day → all of 1900 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second Boer War
- London Gazette
- 23rd April 1901 on this day → all of 1901 →
- Born
- 19th November 1867 at Toronto, Canada
- Died
- 13th July 1913 at Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada
- Memorial / grave
- at St. James' Cemetery, Toronto
Digest of citation
On the 7th November 1900 during the action at Kumati River, South Africa, Lieutenant Cockburn with a handful of men , at a most critical moment, held off the enemy to enable the guns to get away. To do so he had to sacrifice himself and his party, all of whom were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. He himself weas slightly wounded
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
COCKBURN, Hampden Zane Churchill (Reg. No.226)
Lieutenant. The Royal Canadian Dragoons London Gazetted on 23rd April 1901.
Born on 19th November 1867 at Toronto, Canada.
Died on 13th July 1913 at Maple Creek, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Memorial on grave at St. James' Cemetery, Toronto.
Digest of Citation reads: On the 7th November 1900 during the action at Kumati River, South Africa, Lieutenant Cockburn with a handful of men , at a most critical moment, held off the enemy to enable the guns to get away. To do so he had to sacrifice himself and his party, all of whom were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner. He himself weas slightly wounded.
Additional information: Major Cockburn was the son of George Ralph Richardson Cockburn MP. of Toronto. He was a Director of the Ontario Bank. H.Z.C.Cockburn was born on 19th November 1857 (according to VC 1856-1920 he was born ten years earlier than Register of VCs states.) He was educated at Upper Canada College, where his father was a principal, and the famous Rugby School of England. He joined the Governor-General's Bodyguard, as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 20th of November 1891.* It was in 1900 that he volunteered to serve in the Boer War where he took part in the action at Kumati River. He along with two comrades, Lieutenant Turner and Sergeant Holland were awarded the Victoria Cross. He won the Royal Canadian Humane Society Medal for risking his life to save his two brothers who had been drowning in Lake Rousseau. More to be added.
Additional information
Major Cockburn was the son of George Ralph Richardson Cockburn MP. of Toronto. He was a Director of the Ontario Bank. H.Z.C.Cockburn was born on 19th November 1857 (according to VC 1856-1920 he was born ten years earlier than Register of VCs states.) He was educated at Upper Canada College, where his father was a principal, and the famous Rugby School of England. He joined the Governor-General's Bodyguard, as a 2nd Lieutenant on the 20th of November 1891.* It was in 1900 that he volunteered to serve in the Boer War where he took part in the action at Kumati River. He along with two comrades, Lieutenant Turner and Sergeant Holland were awarded the Victoria Cross. He won the Royal Canadian Humane Society Medal for risking his life to save his two brothers who had been drowning in Lake Rousseau. More to be added.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at St. James' Cemetery, Toronto
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