The East Lancashire Regiment

Regiment/
Battalion

Crimean War

Brevet-Major
Mark Walker

Mark Walker
(Lieutenant and Adjutant, afterwards General, K.C.B.)
30th (Cambridgeshire) Regiment
    LIEUTENANT WALKER was awarded the Victoria Cross for a particularly courageous action at the battle of Inkermann on November 5, 1854. When the alarm was given by the pickets, the 30th Regiment advanced in two battalions, the right under Colonel Mauleverer, the left under Colonel Petullo. Lieutenant Walker was with the former battalion, which moved towards a low wall and lay down. Suddenly from out the thick fog, which had been hanging over the ground since daylight, two heavy columns of Russian Infantry appeared close upon them, and the 30th were ordered to open fire. In those days it was the custom to pile arms at night before the men's tents, and the stoppers of the rifles had been lost, causing the arms to become wet and useless. With the Russians coming closer and closer, the position became most critical, and under such disadvantages, there was a possibility of the men becoming nervous and out-of-hand. It was at this moment that Lieutenant Walker grasped the situation. He sprang up on the low wall, and calling on his men to follow him with the bayonet, led them straight at the Russian ranks. The suddenness of the appearance and attack of our men, and the fact that they could not see how small our party really was, caused a panic among the enemy, who, in spite of the exhortations of their officers, turned and bolted, followed some distance by the intrepid little party. The success of this affair was almost entirely due to the cool and courageous conduct of Lieutenant Walker, who, by his splendid example under sudden adverse circumstances, gave encouragement to his men, and turned what might have proved a serious reverse into a brilliant episode of the battle.
  Soon afterwards, Lieutenant Walker volunteered and led a party which destroyed a Russian rifle pit, and for his conduct on this occasion was promoted into the Buffs.

       General Sir Mark Walker, son of Captain Alexander Walker, of Gore Port, county Westmeath, a distinguished Peninsular officer, was born on November 24, 1827. Educated at Portarlington, he entered the army in 1846 and served as Adjutant of the 30th Regiment all through the Crimean War. At the battle of Alma his horse was shot under him and he was wounded. While serving in the trenches he was again wounded, this time so seriously as to necessitate amputation of the right arm. Frequently mentioned in despatches. Served through the China War of 1860 as Brigade Major. Commanded a Brigade at Kamptu, 1875-9; at Aldershot, 1883-4; and Gibraltar, 1884-8. Colonel of the Sherwood Foresters from 1900. He died at Arlington Rectory, Barnstaple, on July 18, 1902, and is buried at Folkestone, where he had lived for many years.

Second Afghan War

Captain 
Euston Henry Sartorius

Euston Henry Sartorius
(Captain, now Major-General, C.B.)
59th Regiment
    THIS gallant officer and his brother, Major-General R. W. Sartorius, are both wearers of the Victoria Cross. On October 24, 1879, Captain  Sartorius behaved with conspicuous bravery during the action of Shah-jui. The Ghilzais had prepared a surprise attack on the British camp, but the information was brought to our command and the tables were turned on the enemy. Captain Sartorius led a small party of only five or six men, to a surprise attack on their stronghold at Tazi, on the top of an almost inaccessible hill. First creeping up and dashing unawares on the picket, the place was taken by assault with the loss of only one man. Captain Sartorius was himself, however, severely wounded in both hands by sword cuts.

Born at Cintra, near Lisbon, in 1844, Captain Sartorius is the son of the late Admiral of the Fleet, Sir G. R. Sartorius, G.C.B. Educated at Woolwich and R.M. College, Sandhurst, he joined the 59th Regiment in 1862, and passed Staff College. Besides being mentioned in despatches in the Afghan War, was thanked by the Indian Government for his services on the Survey, and obtained Brevet-Majority. Served in Egyptian War, 1882, D.A.A.G. ; Brevet Lieut.-Colonel, and mentioned in despatches. Military attaché in Japan. For saving the lives of three girls from drowning at Broadstairs, June 29, 1869, received the Bronze Medal of the Royal Humane Society.

First World War

2nd Lt. Basil Arthur Horsfall, late E. Lanc. R.
    For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. 2nd Lt. Horsfall was in command of the centre platoon during an attack on our positions.
    When the enemy first attacked his three forward sections were driven back and he was wounded in the head. Nevertheless, he immediately organised the remainder of his men and made a counter-attack, which recovered his original positions. On hearing that out of the remaining three officers of his company two were killed and one wounded, he refused to go to the dressing station, although his wound was severe. Later his platoon had to be withdrawn to escape very heavy shell fire, but immediately the shelling lifted he made a second counter-attack and again recovered his positions. When the order to withdraw was given he was the last to leave his position, and, although exhausted, said he could have held on if it had been necessary.
     His conduct was a splendid example to his men, and he showed throughout the utmost disregard of danger.
     This very gallant officer was killed when retiring to the positions in rear.

No. 5938 Private William Young, 8th (Service) Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment.
     For most conspicuous bravery. On seeing that his Serjeant had been wounded he left his trench to attend to him under very heavy fire. The wounded Non-Commissioned Officer requested Private Young to get under cover, but he refused, and was almost immediately very seriously wounded by having both jaws shattered. Notwithstanding his terrible injuries, Private Young continued endeavouring to effect the rescue upon which he had set his mind, and eventually succeeded with the aid of another soldier. He then went unaided to the dressing station, where it was discovered that he had also been wounded by a rifle bullet in the chest. The great fortitude, determination, courage, and devotion to duty displayed by this soldier could hardly be surpassed.

Second World War

Lieutenant (acting Captain) (now Captain) Harold Marcus ERVINE-ANDREWS, The East Lancashire Regiment.
    For most conspicuous gallantry on active service on the night of the 31st May/1st June, 1940. Captain Ervine-Andrews took over about a thousand yards of the defences in front of Dunkirk, his line extending along the Canal de Bergues, and the enemy attacked at dawn. For over ten hours, notwithstanding intense artillery, mortar, and machine-gun fire, and in the face of vastly superior enemy forces, Captain Ervine-Andrews and his company held their
position.
     The enemy, however, succeeded in crossing the canal on both flanks; and, owing  to superior enemy forces, a company of Captain Ervine-Andrews' own battalion, which was despatched to protect his flanks, was unable to gain contact with him. There being danger of one of his platoons being driven in, he called for volunteers to fill the gap, and then, going forward, climbed on to the top of a straw-roofed barn, from which he engaged the enemy with rifle and light automatic fire, though, at the time, the enemy were sending mortar-bombs and armour-piercing bullets through the roof.
     Captain Ervine-Andrews personally accounted for seventeen of the enemy with his rifle, and for many more with a Bren gun. Later, when the house which he held had been shattered by enemy fire and set alight, and all his ammunition had been expended, he sent back his wounded in the remaining carrier. Captain Ervine-Andrews then collected the remaining eight men of his company from this forward position, and, when almost completely surrounded, led them back to the cover afforded by the company in the rear, swimming or wading up to the chin in water for over a mile; having brought all that remained of 'his company safely back, he once again took up position.
    Throughout this action, Captain Ervine-Andrews displayed courage, tenacity, and devotion to duty, worthy of the highest traditions of the British Army, and his magnificent example imbued his own troops with the dauntless fighting spirit which he himself displayed.