THE VICTORIA CROSSES AWARDED TO EDWARD BROWN-SYNGE-HUTCHINSON AND JAMES LEITH HAVE BEEN RELOCATED TO THE MUSEUM OF THE KING'S ROYAL HUSSARS IN WINCHESTER.
24 June 2020

The Museum of Lancashire based in Preston closed its doors to the public in 2018. The museum's contents and artefacts, including the regimental memorabilia of the Museum of the King's Royal Hussars in Lancashire, were placed in storage until the future of the museum building could be decided by Lancashire County Council ( 2018 ).

In late 2019 the Museum of Lancashie announced that the King's Royal Hussars in Lancashire had boxed up its collection ready for transportation to Winchester, the home of the other Museum of the King's Royal Hussars. Included in the collection were two Victoria Cross groups awarded to Colonel Edward Brown-Synge-Hutchinson and Major James Leith. Both VCs are currently in secure storage in Winchester.



( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Colonel Edward Brown-Synge-Hutchinson,
14th ( King's ) Hussars

  • Victoria Cross
  • Companion, Order of the Bath ( CB )
  • Knight of Justice, Order of St John of Jerusalem ( KStJ )
  • Queen's South Africa Medal ( 1899-1902 )
    • 7 clasps:
    • "Cape Colony"
    • "Tugela Heigths" - "Orange Free State" - "Relief of Ladysmith"
    • "Johannesburg" - "Diamond Hill" - "Belfast"
  • King's South Africa Medal ( 1901-02 )
    • "South Africa 1901" - "South Africa 1902"
  • King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 15 January 1901 ], Geluk Farm, Leowkloof, South Africa, 13 October 1900, Major Edward Douglas Brown, 14th ( King's ) Hussars.

On the 13th October 1900, at Geluk, when the enemy were within 400 yards, and bringing a heavy fire to bear, Major Brown, seeing that Sergeant Hersey’s Horse was shot, stopped behind the last squadron as it was retiring, and helped Sergeant Hersey to mount behind him, carrying him for about three quarters of a mile to a place of safety. He did this under a heavy fire.

Major Brown afterwards enabled Lieutenant Browne, 14th Hussars, to mount, by holding his horse which was very restive under the heavy fire. Lieutenant Browne could not otherwise have mounted. Subsequently Major Brown carried Lance-Corporal Trumpeter Leigh out of action.

Edward Brown-Synge-Hutchinson was invested with his Victoria Cross by the Duke of York, ( later King George V ) at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa, on the 14th August 1901.

News

Go to VC UK flag Home Page

Iain Stewart, 24 June 2020