Ernest George Horlock

Ernest George Horlock VC (also known as Ernest George Harlock) (24 October 1885- 30 December 1917) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

He was 28 years old, and a Bombardier in the 113th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 15 September 1914 at Vendresse, France, when the 113th Battery, Royal Field Artillery was in action under heavy shell fire, Bombardier Horlock, although twice wounded, returned to lay his gun on each occasion after his wounds had been dressed, in spite of the fact that the medical officer twice ordered him to go to hospital.

He later achieved the rank of Battery Sergeant-Major.

He joined the Royal Field Artillery as a regular soldier before the First World War and for an unknown reason served as Harlock, possibly due to a clerical error on enlistment papers and subsequent records. His Victoria Cross was actually correctly named Horlock. His grave at Hadra Military Cemetery, Alexandria, bore the name Harlock until corrected by the Commonwealth Graves Commission in the late 1970s.

Memorial service

On 24 May 2001 (previously called Empire Day), the parish of Langrish in Hampshire unveiled a memorial to E.G. Horlock, VC, in St John's Church. The event was well attended with Horlock descendants from all over the world present. A contingent from 10 (Assaye) Battery (the descendants of 113th Battery and the holders of the medal) were also present, in addition to members of Portsmouth Branch of the RAA and the RA Artificers' Association. During the ceremony, the tribute (reproduced below) was given by the General Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel MG Felton, and the memorial was unveiled by Mrs Mary Fagan, Royal Lieutenant for Hampshire.

"Ernest George Horlock was part of a community and a way of life that virtually disappeared in the maelstrom that was the First World War. Born in 1885, one of 3 sons and a daughter, Ernest Horlock's parents, John and Emily, were agricultural workers who subsequently moved to become part of the machinery of a great estate here at Langrish.

In 1903, at the age of 18, Ernest joined the Regular Army in the ranks of the Royal Field Artillery and was sent to Woolwich for his initial training. Further training took place at Larkhill and in 1905, he was posted to 10th Brigade RFA (Royal Field Artillery), then stationed near Devizes. By all accounts he was a good soldier, keen to learn and with a love of sport - particularly football and boxing. He rose steadily through the ranks so that by 1913, had become an experienced Bombardier, second-in-command of his gun.

The outbreak of war in 1914 saw a rapid expansion of the Army with new Batteries and Brigades being formed from the regular cadres. One of these was 113 Battery to which Horlock was posted. In late August they were embarked for France as part of 25th Brigade RFA equipped with 18 pounder guns, each pulled by six horses.

On 13 September, as part of 1st Division, they crossed the River Aisne at Bourg and on the 14th were assembled in column of Batteries in a quarry near Vendresse. The 2nd and 3rd Infantry Brigades were about 1000 yards in front of them fighting their way uphill near Troyon and were hard pressed. Orders arrived to send a Battery to report to the GOC 3rd Brigade and 113 Battery was detailed. Major Ellershaw, the Battery Commander, rode forward with his Staff. As he topped the hill, he saw a strong German attack advancing. The Battery came into action at a range of 900yards and inflicted terrible slaughter on the Germans. The attack was repulsed but the Battery came under heavy counterfire from German artillery and except for Bombardier Horlock, his entire gun crew was killed. He had been wounded by shell splinters and was withdrawn to have his wounds dressed. However, despite this, on 2 occasions he insisted upon returning to his gun and continuing fire on the enemy.

Sorely depleted, re-organisation was required within the Battery and Ernest Horlock was promoted to Sergeant. He was also recommended for an award for bravery, perhaps the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Plainly, he thought nothing of it but somewhere up the line, his citation was quite rightly singled out as one that demonstrated overwhelming bravery in the face of the enemy. And so it was that some 6 months later, Sergeant Ernest George Horlock had a Victoria Cross pinned onto his breast by His Majesty The King. As you will all see, the inscription on the medal is typically understated - it merely bears the words "For Valour" and the medal is made not from silver, but from a base metal that comes from 2 cannon still standing on Front Parade at Woolwich." (The metal is smelt from guns captured during the Crimean War, when the Victoria Cross was created as an award).

"Nearly a year later, his family learned of the events and Sergeant Horlock's joyful homecoming is well described in the Order of Service. A year after that, in 1916, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant Major and posted to Greece. From there, he was posted to Egypt and in the autumn of 1917 returned home on leave. It was then that he married Ethel and barely a month afterwards, returned to duty in the Middle East. His troopship, the SS Aragon sailed from Southampton on 3 December and as she was making her approach to Alexandria, was torpedoed. Horlock was rescued by a destroyer but whilst picking up other survivors from the Aragon, the vessel was itself torpedoed by the same submarine. Sergeant Major Horlock was killed. His Victoria Cross is now in the hands of 10 (Assaye) Battery, 47th Regiment Royal Artillery who are based on Thorney Island near Portsmouth, Hampshire. The Medal is occasionally taken from the vault and paraded through the Ranks of the Battery.

[He] was one of the bravest of men to whom we owe respect, and one can do no more than repeat the dedication that was made in 1921, when the Regiment's Memorial at Hyde Park was unveiled. It is as follows and I should be grateful if, after I have read it, you will all say the words, "We will remember them:"

"We who are left of the Royal Regiment of Artillery inscribe this monument in proud remembrance of the 48,949 of our comrades, who, cherishing our brotherhood, glorifying in our good name, when the call came in the Great War followed the path of duty and self-sacrifice and laid down their lives for their King and their Country in many strange lands - Faithful unto Death in the Service of the Guns.

We will remember them."

References

*Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
*The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
*VCs of the First World War - 1914 (Gerald Gliddon, 1994)