MARTINEAU, HORACE ROBERT,
Sergeant, was born 31 October 1874, in
Bayswater, London, fifth son of Mr William Martineau, of Hornsey. He was
educated at University College School, and went out to South Africa, where
he served under Sir Robert Baden-Powell in the successful campaign against
the Matabele. He became first a Volunteer in the Cape Police and later in
the Protectorate Regiment , which he joined in 1889. With this regiment he
served in the South African Campaign of 1899-1902, and took part in the
defence of Mafeking. He was mentioned in Despatches, received the South
African Medal, and was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 6 July,
1900]: "Horace Robert Martineau, Sergeant, the Protectorate Regiment. On
the 26th December 1899, during the fight at Game Tree, near Mafeing, when
the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Martineau stopped and picked up
Corporal Le Camp, who had been struck down about ten yards from the Boer
trenches, and half dragged, half carried him towards a bush about 150 yards
from the trenches. In doing this Sergeant Martineau was wounded in the
side, but paid no attention to it, and proceeded to stanch and bandage the
wounds of his comrade, whom he afterwards assisted to retire. The firing
while they were retiring was very heavy, and Sergeant Martineau was again
wounded. When shot the second time he was absolutely exhausted from
supporting his comrade, and sank down unable to proceed farther. He
received three wounds, one of which necessitated the amputation of his arm
near the shoulder". He subsequently gave up soldiering and engaged in
business in the African Boating Company, a large concern in Durban.
He served in the Bambata Rebellion of 1906. When
the European War broke out he joined up again, and served as Lieutenant in
the Transport Service with the Anzacs at Suez and Gallipoli. He fell ill
and was invalided back to New Zealand. The ‘Times’ of 8 May, 1916, says:
"Lieutenant Horace Robert Martineau, VC, of the Transport Section, New
Zealand Force, died at Dunedin on 8 April, as the result of fever contracted
in Gallipoli. He served in the second Matabele War and in Natal during the
last native rising, and won the Victoria Cross for an act of heroism in the
South African War". He was buried in the Anderson's Bay
Cemetery, Dunedin.
VC, BSACM (1) Rhod 1896, QSA (3) DofM, OFS, Tr, KSA (2), Natal 1906, 1914-15
Star, BWM, VM, 1911 Coronation Medal.
