Charles Parker (VC)

Charles Parker (VC)
Charles Edward Haydon Parker
Charles EH Parker.jpg
Born 10 March 1870
St Johns, London
Died 5 December 1918 (aged 48)
Coventry, Warwickshire
Buried at London Road Cemetery, Coventry
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch Flag of the British Army.svg British Army
Rank Sergeant-Major
Unit Royal Horse Artillery
Battles/wars Second Boer War
World War I
Awards Victoria Cross

Charles Edward Haydon Parker VC (10 March 1870 - 5 December 1918) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Contents

Details

Parker was 30 years old, and a sergeant in 'Q' Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, British Army during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC:

On 31 March 1900 at Sanna's Post (aka Korn Spruit), South Africa, 'Q' and 'U' Batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery were ambushed with the loss of most of the baggage column and five guns of the leading battery. When the alarm was given, 'Q' Battery went into action 1150 yards from the spruit, until the order to retire was received, when Major Phipps-Hornby, commander of 'Q' Battery, ordered the guns and their limbers to be run back by hand to a safe place. This most exhausting operation was carried out by, among others, Sergeant Parker, Gunner Isaac Lodge and Driver Horace Glasock, and when at last all but one of the guns and one limber had been moved to safety, the battery was reformed. The citation reads:

On the occasion of the action at Korn Spruit on the 31st March, 1900, a British force, including two batteries of the Royal Horse Artillery, was retiring from Thabanchu towards Bloemfontein. The enemy had formed an ambush at Korn Spruit, and before their presence was discovered by the main body had captured the greater portion of the baggage column and five out of the six guns of the leading battery. When the alarm was given Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, was within 300 yards of the Spruit. Major Phipps-Hornby, who commanded it, at once wheeled about and moved off at a gallop under a very heavy fire. One gun upset when a wheel horse was shot, and had to be abandoned, together with a waggon, the horses of which were killed. The remainder of the battery reached a position close to some unfinished railway buildings and came into action 1,150 yards from the Spruit, remaining in action until ordered to retire. When the order to retire was received Major Phipps-Hornby ordered the guns and their limbers to be run back by hand to where the teams of uninjured horses stood behind the unfinished buildings. The few remaining gunners, assisted by a number of Officers and men of a party of Mounted Infantry, and directed by Major Phipps-Hornby and Captain Humphreys, the only remaining Officers of the battery, succeeded in running back four of the guns under shelter. One or two of the limbers were similarly withdrawn by hand, but the work was most severe and the distance considerable. In consequence all concerned were so exhausted that they were unable to drag in the remaining limbers or the fifth gun. It now became necessary to risk the horses, and volunteers were called for from among the drivers, who readily responded. Several horses were killed and men wounded, but at length only one gun and one limber were left exposed. Four separate attempts were made to rescue these, but when no more hordes were available the attempt had to be given up and the gun and limber were abandoned. Meanwhile the other guns had been sent on, one at a time, and after passing within 700 or 800 yards of the enemy, in rounding the head of a donga and crossing two spruits they eventually reached a place of safety, where the battery was re-formed. After full consideration of the circumstances of the case the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-chief in South Africa formed the opinion that the conduct of all ranks of Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, was conspicuously gallant and daring, but that all were equally brave and devoted in their behaviour. He therefore decided to treat the case of the battery as one of collective gallantry under Rule 13 of the Victoria Cross Warrant, and directed that one Officer should be selected for the decoration of the Victoria Cross by the Officers, one non-commissioned officer by the non-commissioned officers, and two gunners or drivers by the gunners and drivers. A difficulty arose with regard to the Officer because there were only two unwounded Officers — Major Phipps-Hornby and Captain Humphreys — available for the work of saving the guns, and both of these had been conspicuous by their gallantry and by the fearless manner in which they exposed themselves, and each of them nominated the other for the decoration. It was ultimately decided in favour of Major Phipps-Hornby as having been the senior concerned.[1]

Parker was elected by the non-commissioned officers as described above.

Further information

Lieutenant Francis Maxwell (VC, CSI, DSO & Bar) also earned the VC in this action.

Parker rejoined the army and was seriously injured in World War I.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum, Woolwich, England.

References

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 27205. p. 3964. 26 June 1900. Retrieved 2 December 2009.

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Charles Parker — or Charlie Parker may refer to: Charlie Parker, jazz musician Charlie Parker (politician), NDP MLA for Pictou West in Nova Scotia, Canada Charlie Parker (cricketer) Charlie Parker (footballer), English footballer Charlie Parker (basketball coach) …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker (producer) — Charles Parker (1919 1980) was a BBC Radio producer based in Birmingham from 1954 1972 who specialised in Documentary Radio and Theatre. In particular, he is remembered for his collaboration with Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger on the 1958 1963… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker (New Zealand) — Charles Parker JP (4 March 1809 – 29 June 1898) was a New Zealand politician and a carpenter. Contents 1 Early life 2 Emigration to New Zealand 3 Political career 4 Family …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker (detective) — Charles Parker is a fictional police detective who appears in several Lord Peter Wimsey stories by Dorothy L. Sayers, and eventually becomes Lord Peter s brother in law. He is first introduced in Whose Body? as a Detective Inspector from Scotland …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker (UK politician) — Charles Parker was a leading member of the British National Party in its early years and provided the group with much of its funding. A leading businessman in Brighton, Parker and his wife joined the British National Front in 1975. He soon became …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker House — U.S. National Register of Historic Places …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker (Michigan politician) — Charles Parker was a member of the Michigan House of Representatives. He was one of six members of the state House killed in the Kerns Hotel fire in Lansing on December 11, 1934. Also killed were representatives D. Knox Hanna, T. Henry Howlett,… …   Wikipedia

  • Charles Parker Butt — Sir Charles Parker Butt Q.C. (24 June 1830 – 26 May 1892) was an English High Court judge and a Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1880 to 1883. Butt was the third son of the Rev. Phelpes John Butt, of Wortham Lodge,… …   Wikipedia

  • Mack Charles Parker — (1936 – April 24, 1959) was a victim of lynching in the United States.ummaryMack Charles Parker, an African American, was accused of raping a white woman. When he was arrested, a Mississippi state trooper offered the woman s husband a pistol to… …   Wikipedia

  • Isaac Charles Parker — (* 15. Oktober 1838 in Barnesville, Ohio; † 17. November 1896 in Fort Smith, Arkansas) war ein berüchtigter Richter im Wilden Westen. Während seiner Laufbahn als Richter schickte er 88 Männer an den Galgen. Dieser Umstand brachte ihm den Namen… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”