Officer casualties, surname U - V

Umphelby, Lieutenant Colonel C E E, Australian Artillery

He died of wounds received in action on March 10th, 1900, at Driefontein.  He belonged to the Royal Australian Artillery, and had been attached to the Victorian Contingent in South Africa.  He was mentioned in despatches by Field Marshal Earl Roberts, LG, February 8th, 1901, for having "rendered conspicuously valuable service" and, had he survived, his name would have been brought prominently to notice.  Lieutenant Colonel Umphelby was again mentioned in despatches, LG, April 16th, 1901, for meritorious service.

Urey, Lieutenant J, 2nd Battalion Imperial Yeomanry

He died at Heilbron on February 21st 1902.  He first served as a trooper, and was promoted Lieutenant, with the rank of Lieutenant in the army, May 22nd, 1901.

Ussher, Captain Edward, DSO, 2nd Dragoons

He died at the Nigel Mines on February 20th, 1902, of wounds received in action at Klippan, near Springs, two days previously.  He was the eldest son of John Ussher of The Dene, Great Budworth, Cheshire, was born in November 1869, and educated at Eton.  He entered the 2nd Dragoons from the Royal Military College in March 1890, being promoted Lieutenant in September 1892, and Captain in September 1900.  He had been adjutant from May 10th 1900, and was present at all the actions in which his regiment took part since the commencement of the war, including the operations on the Orange River, the relief of Kimberley, the surrender of Cronje, and the advance on Bloemfontein and Pretoria.  Captain Ussher was mentioned in despatches, LG, September 10th, 1901, and was awarded the DSO.

See his DSO entry.

Vallentin, Brevet Major John Maximilian, psc, Somersetshire Light Infantry

He was killed in action at Onverwacht, Ermelo District, on January 4th, 1902.  He was the son of Sir J Vallentin, was born in February 1865, and educated at Haileybury.  He entered the Somersetshire Light Infantry February 1885, was promoted Captain June 1892, and brevet Major November 1900.  In August 1888, he married Helen Mary, daughter of Colonel Carnegy.  He served in the Burmese Expedition of 1886-87 with the 2nd battalion of his regiment, and received the medal with clasp.  He graduated at the Staff College in 1897, and before the outbreak of the war in South Africa was brigade Major at Ladysmith, Natal.  On the re-distribution of the brigades of the Natal Field Force, after the arrival of Sir George White, Major Vallentin was appointed brigade Major to Lieutenant General Sir lan Hamilton.  At the battle of Elandslaagte, Major Vallentin behaved with conspicuous gallantry in rallying the flank attack during the most critical phase of the assault.  He served throughout the siege of Ladysmith until January when he had a severe attack of enteric.  When convalescent, he elected to return to his chief, Sir Ian Hamilton, and joined him at Bloemfontein just after his appointment to the command of a division.  After the occupation of Heidelberg, Major Vallentin was appointed Commissioner of that town.  In the autumn of 1900, while holding this position, he was sent out with one of Field Marshal Earl Roberts' Proclamations to a commando in his neighbourhood, and lived with the Boers for a week as their guest while the object of his visit was under discussion.  He then returned to military duty, and saw much service during 1901.  He met his death while pursuing with about fifty men some Boers under Oppermann and Christian Botha, who were several hundreds strong; his party suffered severely, but Oppermann was killed.  Major Vallentin was mentioned in despatches by General Sir George White on December 2nd, 1899, from Ladysmith, and again in the despatch of March 23rd, 1900, LG, February 8th, 1901; also in the despatches of General Lord Kitchener, July 28th, 1901, and of August 8th, 1901, this latter making the fourth occasion on which he was mentioned during the Boer War.  He was awarded a brevet Majority for his services.

  The monument at Onverwacht.

Vandeleur, Lieutenant Colonel Cecil Foster Seymour, DSO, Scots Guards

He was killed in a train which was wrecked between Isaterval and Hamman's Kraal, about fifteen miles north of Pretoria, August 31st, 1901.  The enemy, who lined the banks of the cutting, opened fire on the derailed carriages, and Lieutenant Colonel Vandeleur was shot down.  He was the eldest son of Hector Stewart Vandeleur of Kilrush, was born in July 1869, and educated at Eton.  He entered the Scots Guards in February 1889, being promoted Lieutenant May 1892, Captain and brevet Major in June 1899, transferred to the Irish Guards, May 1900, became Major in the following October and brevet Lieutenant Colonel a month later.  He served with the Unyoro Expedition in 1895, being mentioned in despatches and receiving the medal.  He took part in the Nandi Expedition, 1895-96, being again mentioned in despatches and receiving the DSO.  He served in the Niger-Soudan Campaign under Major Arnold in 1897, including the expeditions to Egbon, Bida, and Ilorin, was mentioned in despatches, and received the brevet of Major and the medal with clasp.  Lieutenant Colonel Vandeleur served in the Soudan Campaign under Lord (then Sir Herbert) Kitchener in 1898, and was present at the battles of the Atbara and Khartoum, being slightly wounded, was mentioned in despatches, and received the British medal and Khedive's medal with two clasps and the Fourth Class of the Order of the Medjidie.  He was on special service in South Africa from December 1899, to January 1900, and was employed with transport from January 20th, 1900, and was DAAG.  Lieutenant Colonel Vandeleur was buried in Pretoria.  He was mentioned in despatches, LG, February 8th, 1901, and promoted brevet Lieutenant Colonel.

Vaughan, Lieutenant Esmae Alien Peers, 2nd Battalion Royal Lancaster Regiment

He died at the Base Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, March 7th, 1900, of wounds received on February 27th in the operations on the Tugela.  He was the youngest son of Charles Peers Vaughan of Buch Lawn, Pendleton, was born in August 1877, and educated at Harrow.  He entered the Royal Lancaster Regiment in February 1898, and was promoted Lieutenant November 1899.  Lieutenant Vaughan accompanied his battalion to South Africa in November 1899, and served with the Natal Field Force.

Veitch, Major Quinten R, Cape Volunteer Medical Staff Corps (Cape Mounted Rifles)

He died of heart disease at Cape Town on February 2nd, 1902.

Venning, Lieutenant Gordon Ralph, DSO, 4th Battery Royal Field Artillery

He was killed in action between Tweebosch and Pafmietkuil March 7th, 1902.  He was the son of A R Venning, was born in June 1880, and educated at Bath College, where he is well remembered for his notable athletic record.  He entered the Royal Artillery in December 1898, and was promoted Lieutenant February 1901.  He was one of the youngest wearers of the decoration of the DSO.  Lieutenant Venning accompanied his battery to South Africa in November 1899, and had served throughout the war.  At Tweebosch he and all his men were either killed or wounded round their two guns.  He was mentioned in despatches, LG, September 10th, 1901, and was awarded the DSO.  He was also mentioned in the despatch of Lieutenant General Lord Methuen from Klerksdorp, March 13th, 1902, who called "attention to the gallant manner in which Lieutenant Venning stuck to his guns" at Tweebosch.

See his DSO entry.

Vernon, Captain Ronald James, King's Royal Rifle Corps

He was killed in action at Game Tree in a sortie from Mafeking on December 28th, 1899.  He was the son of the Honourable Mr and Mrs Greville Vernon, and was born in January 1866.  He entered the King's Royal Rifle Corps from the Militia in January 1889, was promoted Lieutenant February 1891, and Captain May 1897.  He served in the Expedition to Manipur in 1891.  Captain Vernon was ADC to the General Officer Commanding at the Cape of Good Hope from 1894-98, and at the time of his death was on special service in South Africa.  In this sortie several gallant lives were lost in addition to Captain Vernon; Captain Sandford and Lieutenant Paton being killed.  All three fell at the "very muzzles of the enemy's guns".  The attacking party consisted of eighty, and of these twenty four were killed and twenty three wounded.  The death of these officers is mentioned in the despatch of Major General Baden-Powell of May 18th, 1900, from Mafeking, where Captain Vernon is stated to have been "a most successful officer in command of a squadron" and to have "displayed the greatest gallantry in action".  Major General Baden-Powell added, "Both officers and men worked with splendid courage and spirit" LG, February 8th, 1901.

Verschoyle, Captain Edward Greville, 2nd Battalion Grenadier Guards

He died of wounds received in action at Thaba N'chu on May 5th, 1900.  He was the second son of Lieutenant Colonel Verschoyle, Grenadier Guards, of Killbery, Kildare, by his marriage with Lucy Clarissa, third daughter of Ambrose Goddard of the Lawn, Swindon.  Captain Verschoyle was born in November 1866, and educated at Wellington, where he was in Kempthorne's House, 1880-84.  He entered the Grenadier Guards from the Royal Military College in May 1885, being promoted Captain October 1897.  He served in the Nile Expedition of 1898, and took part in the battle of Khartoum, receiving the medal and the Egyptian medal with clasp.  Captain Verschoyle accompanied his battalion to South Africa in March 1900, and served in the Cape and Orange River Colonies up to the time of his death.

Vertue, Captain Naunton Henry, East Kent Regiment

He was killed in action at Spion Kop, in the operations on the Upper Tuge!a, on January 24th, 1900.  He was born in January 1863, educated at Clifton and entered the East Kent Regiment February 1884, being promoted Lieutenant May 1890, and Captain March 1893.  He was adjutant of his battalion from May 1890 to May 1894, and served as ADC to the Brigadier General, commanding in Ceylon from March 1897 to January 1899.  At the time of his death, Captain Vertue held the appointment of Brigade Major to the 11th Infantry Brigade in South Africa, commanded by Major General Woodgate.  Captain Vertue was mentioned in despatches, LG, February 8th, 1901.

Von Schade, Lieutenant F C, Commander in Chief s Bodyguard

He died of wounds received in action in South Africa, January 1901.