GLASOCK, HORACE HENRY, Driver, served in the South African Campaign
of 1899-1002, and was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 20 June,
1900]: "Horace Henry Glasock, Driver, Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.
Date of Act of Bravery: 31 March, 1300. 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 three hundred 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 was upset when the wheel horse was shot, and had to be
abandoned, with another 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 team 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similarly withdrawn by hand, but the work was most severe and the distance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 horses 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 seven or eight hundred 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 reformed. 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 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, owing
to the fact that 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. Charles Parker, Sergeant, was elected by
the non-commissioned officers as described above. Isaac Lodge, Gunner, and
Horace Henry Glasock, Driver, were elected by the gunners and drivers as
described above". Glasock's name was at first spelt “Glassock”. This was
corrected in the London Gazette, 6 July, 1900. "Memorandum, 6 July, 1900 —
The name of Driver Horace Harry Glasoek, Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery,
the grant to whom of the Victoria Cross was notified in the London Gazette
of the 26th June, 1900, is as now, and not as therein stated". He was
discharged from the Royal Horse Artillery 25 January 1911.
GLASOCK, HORACE HENRY, Driver, served in the South African Campaign
of 1899-1002, and was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 20 June,
1900]: "Horace Henry Glasock, Driver, Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.
Date of Act of Bravery: 31 March, 1300. 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 three hundred 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 was upset when the wheel horse was shot, and had to be
abandoned, with another 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 team 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 horses 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 seven or eight hundred 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 reformed. 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 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, owing
to the fact that 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. Charles Parker, Sergeant, was elected by
the non-commissioned officers as described above. Isaac Lodge, Gunner, and
Horace Henry Glasock, Driver, were elected by the gunners and drivers as
described above". Glasock's name was at first spelt “Glassock”. This was
corrected in the London Gazette, 6 July, 1900. "Memorandum, 6 July, 1900 —
The name of Driver Horace Harry Glasoek, Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery,
the grant to whom of the Victoria Cross was notified in the London Gazette
of the 26th June, 1900, is as now, and not as therein stated". He was
discharged from the Royal Horse Artillery 25 January 1911.