Sergeant Henry Engleheart

10th (Prince of Wales' Own Royal ) Hussars
 
13th March 1900
 
 
 
Henry Engleheart VC
 
 

     In the dawn of March 13, 1900, the party that had successfully destroyed the railway north of Bloemfontein had to charge through a Boer piquet, besides getting over four deep spruits, in order to creep back through the Boer fines. At the last of these Sapper Webb's horse fell, and consequently he was left in a precarious position. In the face of a deadly shell and rifle fire, notwithstanding the great risk of being cut off and captured, Sergeant Engleheart returned to Sapper Webb's assistance. Some time was lost getting the man and horse out of the spruit, and the position became momentarily worse owing to the rapid advance of the Boers.
     At last, however, he was successful, and, retiring slowly to cover Webb's retreat, he was able to get him safely back to the party. Shortly before this had taken place Sergeant Engleheart had shown great gallantry in dashing into the first spruit, approachable only in single file, which was still held by a party of Boers who were hesitating whether to fire or fly. Had they been given time to rally they would certainly have destroyed our small lot of men, outnumbered as they were by four to one.

      H. Engleheart, son of the late Mr. Francis Engleheart, formerly a member of the Stock Exchange, and grandson of N. B. Engleheart, Esq., Blackheath, the last of the Queen's Proctors, was Born on November 14, 1864. He was presented with the Victoria Cross by the late Queen Victoria on December 15, 1900, being centre man of the last five of her soldiers on whose breasts the aged Sovereign pinned her Cross.

 

Boer War VC index page

Site Home Page