The Honourable Henry Hugh Manvers Percy
Colonel, 3rd Battalion. Grenadier Guards
- Register No.
- 982 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Colonel all Colonels →
- Unit
- 3rd Battalion. Grenadier Guards all Grenadier Guards VCs →
- Date of action
- 5 November 1854 on this day → all of 1854 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Crimean War
- London Gazette
- 5th May 1857 on this day → all of 1857 →
- Born
- 22nd August 1817 at Cobham, Surrey
- Died
- the 3rd December 1877 at London
- Memorial / grave
- St Nicholas Chapel, Westminster Abbey, and a Cross on the wall of the Falconer's Tower, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Digest of citation
The Grenadier Guards were at some distance from the Sandbag Battery. Colonel Percy charged singly into the battery, followed almost immediately by the Guards. The walls and parapet of the battery were held by the Russians who kept up a continuous musketry fire. Colonel Percy, found himself with a number of men from various regiments who had charged too far at the Battle of Inkerman, in the Crimea on 5th November 1854. They were very nearly surrounded by Russians and were without ammunition. Although he was wounded, Colonel Percy, using his knowledge of the ground, extricated these men, around 50 in number, all the time under heavy fire from the Russians then in the Sandbag Battery, brought them safely to where fresh ammunition could be got, enabling them to renew the fighting
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PERCY, The Honourable Henry Hugh Manvers. (reg No. 982).
Colonel. 3rd Battalion. Grenadier Guards.
London Gazetted on 5th May 1857.
Born on 22nd August 1817 at Cobham, Surrey.
Died on the 3rd December 1877 at London.
Memorials at St Nicholas Chapel, Westminster Abbey, and a Cross on the wall of the Falconer's Tower, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland.
Digest of Citation reads: The Grenadier Guards were at some distance from the Sandbag Battery. Colonel Percy charged singly into the battery, followed almost immediately by the Guards. The walls and parapet of the battery were held by the Russians who kept up a continuous musketry fire. Colonel Percy, found himself with a number of men from various regiments who had charged too far at the Battle of Inkerman, in the Crimea on 5th November 1854. They were very nearly surrounded by Russians and were without ammunition. Although he was wounded, Colonel Percy, using his knowledge of the ground, extricated these men, around 50 in number, all the time under heavy fire from the Russians then in the Sandbag Battery, brought them safely to where fresh ammunition could be got, enabling them to renew the fighting.
Additional information: Lieutenant General PERCY was created a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB). He also held the Légion d'Honneur. Served as MP for North Northumberland from 1865-68. In 1874 he was Colonel of the 89th Regiment, later becoming the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Additional information
Lieutenant General PERCY was created a Knight Commander of the Bath (KCB). He also held the Légion d'Honneur. Served as MP for North Northumberland from 1865-68. In 1874 he was Colonel of the 89th Regiment, later becoming the Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: St Nicholas Chapel, Westminster Abbey, and a Cross on the wall of the Falconer's Tower, Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
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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