| Turner | Henry Gordon | | Captain | TURNER, HENRY GORDON, Captain, was born in 1862, son of the Reverend J Turner, of Mansfield-Woodhouse, Nottinghamsliire. He served in the South African War, 1902, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April 1901]: "Henry Gordon Turner, Captain, De Montmorency's Scouts. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were sent to the Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, and presented by Colonel Long at Dordrecht 25 December 1901. Captain Turner married, in 1890, Mabel Eugene, daughter of Myles L Formby. De Montmorency's Scouts were; raised by Captain the Honourable R H L J de Montmorency, VC. Sir A Conan Doyle, on page 158 of his 'Great Boer War', says of him, when describing the doings of General Gatacre's small force while holding the district from Sterkstroom to East London unflinchingly: "Scouting and raiding expeditions, chiefly organized by Captain de Montmonrency—whose early death cut short the career of one who possessed every quality of a partisan leader—broke the monotony of inaction. On 23 February 1900, General Gatacre sent out a force to reconnoitre the enemy's position at Storrnberg. The incident is memorable as having been the cause of the death of Captain de Montmorency, one of the most promising of the younger officers of the British Army. He had formed a corps of scouts, consisting originally of four men, but soon expanding to seventy or eighty. At the head of these men he confirmed the reputation for desperate valour which he had won in the Soudan, and added to it proofs of the energy and judgment which go to make a leader of light cavalry. In the course of the reconnaissance he ascended a small kopje, accompanied by three companions—Colonel Hoskier, a London Volunteer soldier; Vice, a civilian, and Sergeant Howe. 'They are right on the top of us', he cried to his comrades as he reached the summit, and dropped next instant with a bullet through his heart. Hoskier was shot in five places, and Vice was mortally wounded, only Howe escaping. The rest of the scouts, being farther back, were able to get under cover and to keep up a fight until they were extricated by the remainder of the force ... De Montmorency had established a remarkable influence over his rough followers. To the end of the war they could not speak of him without tears in their eyes. When I asked Sergeant Howe why his Captain went almost alone up the hill, his answer was, 'Because the Captain knew no fear'. Byrne, his soldier servant (an Omdurman VC, like his master) galloped madly off next morning with a saddled horse, to bring back his Captain alive or dead, and had to be forcibly seized and restrained by our cavalry".
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book) | Montmorency's Scouts |
