Henry William Engleheart

He rode back through rifle fire to free his trapped comrade.

Henry William Engleheart was born at Maidstone on 14 November 1863. His family background included a stockbroker father, while his birth took place in the county gaol where his mother was imprisoned. He enlisted in the 10th Royal Hussars in August 1887 and advanced to sergeant in 1896.

The regiment went from India to South Africa in 1899. Engleheart survived the wreck of the transport Ismore and was wounded in the thigh near Rensburg in January 1900. After recovery he joined mounted pioneers assigned to destroy railway track north of Bloemfontein.

At dawn on 13 March, the raiding party had to force its way back through Boer positions and cross several deep watercourses. At the last crossing, Sapper Webb and his horse could not climb the bank. Engleheart returned under rifle and shell fire despite the danger of being cut off. He helped free man and horse, then withdrew slowly to cover Webb until both regained the party. Earlier in the escape he had also charged into a narrow crossing before its defenders could organize resistance.

Invalided from South Africa with enteric fever, Engleheart returned to Britain. Queen Victoria presented his Victoria Cross at Windsor on 15 December 1900, during one of her last investitures. He later served briefly with the 7th Hussars before returning to the 10th and retiring in 1908 after twenty-one years.

He became a lodge keeper at Windsor Castle and later settled at Datchet. Active in local ex-servicemen's affairs, he chaired the Windsor Ex-Servicemen's Club in the late 1930s. He died on 9 August 1939. His twin sons donated his Victoria Cross and other medals to the regiment in 1977.

Official Victoria Cross citation At dawn on the 13th March, 1900, the party that had destroyed the railway north of Bloemfontein had to charge through a Boer piquet and get over four deep spruits, in order to make their way back through the Boer lines. At the fourth spruit Sapper Webb's horse failed to get up the bank and he was left in a very dangerous position. In face of a very heavy rifle and shell fire, and, notwithstanding the great chance of being cut off, Sergeant Engleheart returned to Sapper Webb's assistance. It took some time to get the man and his horse out of the sluit and the position became momentarily more critical owing to the advance of the Boers. He was, however, at last successful, and, retiring slowly, to cover Webb's retreat, was able to get him safely back to the party. Shortly before this, Sergeant Engleheart had shown great gallantry in dashing into the first spruit, which could only be reached in single file and was still full of Boers hesitating whether to fly or fire. Had they been given time to rally, they must have destroyed the small party of British, as they outnumbered them by 4 to 1.