George Fosbery

He led marksmen up the crag through a hail of enemy gunfire.

George Vincent Fosbery combined a soldier's career with a lifelong interest in the design of firearms. Born in Wiltshire on 11 April 1832, he entered the Bengal Army in 1852 and served with its native infantry. He was away from India when the rebellion of 1857 broke out, a circumstance that shaped his subsequent postings as regiments were reorganised.

By 1863 he was attached to the 104th Regiment during the Umbeyla campaign on the North-West Frontier. He was placed in charge of selected marksmen drawn from British regiments. Their work made use of ammunition of his own design, linking his technical interests with practical field service.

On 30 October the Crag Picket, a key position overlooking the Umbeyla Pass, had to be retaken. Fosbery volunteered to lead a party up the steep approach against opponents holding the heights. Under heavy fire he advanced with determination and became one of the first men to reach the top. The assault recovered the position. His Victoria Cross, announced in July 1865, recognised his leadership during that difficult climb and attack.

Fosbery subsequently held further appointments in India, including service with the Calcutta Volunteer Corps and Bengal infantry regiments. He rose to lieutenant-colonel and resigned from the Indian Army in 1878. Retirement allowed him to devote more time to weapons development and shooting.

His best-known invention was a self-cocking revolver, patented in 1895 and manufactured by Webley and Scott as the Webley-Fosbery. He also developed the Paradox system, which combined a mostly smooth barrel with rifling near the muzzle so that one gun could be used with suitable shot or ball ammunition. His designs made his name familiar to sportsmen as well as military historians.

Fosbery died in 1907. His Victoria Cross and India General Service Medal preserve the link between his battlefield service and the inventive career that followed it.

Victoria Cross citation: For the daring and gallant manner in which, on the 30th of October, 1863, acting as a Volunteer at the time, he led a party of his Regiment to re-capture the Crag Picquet, after its Garrison had been driven in by the Enemy, on which occasion sixty of them were killed in desperate hand to hand fighting. From the nature of the approach to the top of the Crag amongst the large rocks, one or two men only could advance at one time; and “whilst I ascended one path,” relates Lieutenant- Colonel Keyes, C.B., commanding the lst Punjab Infantry, “I directed Lieutenant Fosbery, of the late 4th European Regiment, to push up another at the head of a few men. He led this party with the greatest coolness and intrepidity, and was the first man to gain the top of the Crag on his side of the attack.” Subsequently, Lieutenant-Colonel Keyes being wounded, Lieutenant Fosbery assembled a party with which he pursued the routed enemy in the direction of the Lalloo ridge, inflicting on them further loss and confirming possession of the post.

The London Gazette of 7 July 1865, Numb. 22988, p. 3425