Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn
| Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 19 November 1867 Toronto, Ontario |
| Died | 12 July 1913 (aged 45) Maple Creek, Saskatchewan |
| Buried at | St James Cemetery, Toronto |
| Allegiance |  Canada |
| Service/branch | Canadian Army |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | The Royal Canadian Dragoons |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
Major Hampden Zane Churchill Cockburn VC (19 November 1867 – 12 July 1913) was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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[edit] Details
Born in Toronto, Canada, Cockburn was 32 years old, and a lieutenant in The Royal Canadian Dragoons, Canadian Army during the Second Boer War when the action took place for which he was awarded the VC. He is a graduate of Upper Canada College in Toronto.
Cockburn was one of three men from his regiment who were awarded the VC for actions on 7 November 1900 during the Battle of Leliefontein at the Komati River, South Africa. The citations were published in the London Gazette of 23 April 1901. His read:
Lieutenant Cockburn, with a handful of men, at a most critical moment held off the Boers to allow the guns to get away; to do so he had to sacrifice himself and his party, all of whom were killed, wounded, or taken prisoners, he himself being slightly wounded.[1]
The other men were Lieutenant Richard Ernest William Turner and Sergeant Edward James Gibson Holland.
[edit] Further information
He later achieved the rank of Major. Cockburn is buried at St. James Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario with a headstone at Hill A. Section S 1/2. Lot 11.
[edit] The medal
Cockburn's VC and sword were displayed in the lobby of Upper Canada College. In 1977, due to a number of recent thefts and "losses" of Victoria Cross medals the school replaced the VC with a top grade copy and moved the original to their bank safety deposit box.
[edit] References
- ^ London Gazette: no. 27307. p. 2775. 23 April 1901. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 20
