Edgar Inkson

Edgar Thomas Inkson VC DSO
Born	(1872-04-05)5 April 1872 Nainital, British India
Died	19 February 1947(1947-02-19) (aged 74) Chichester, West Sussex, England
Buried	Brookwood Cemetery 51°18′04″N 0°37′52″W / 51.300990°N 0.631191°W / 51.300990; -0.631191
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Service years	1899–1917
Rank	Colonel
Unit	Royal Army Medical Corps
Conflicts	Second Boer War World War I
Awards	Victoria Cross Distinguished Service Order

Colonel Edgar Thomas Inkson VC DSO (5 April 1872 –19 February 1947) was a 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.

Inkson was 27 years old, and a lieutenant in the Royal Army Medical Corps, British Army, attached to The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place on 24 February 1900, at Hart's Hill, Colenso, South Africa for which he was awarded the VC:

On the 24th February, 1900, Lieutenant Inkson carried Second Lieutenant Devenish (who was severely wounded and unable to walk) for three or four hundred yards under a very heavy fire to a place of safety. The ground over which Lieutenant Inkson had to move was much exposed, there being no cover available.¹

He was promoted to captain while still serving in South Africa. Captain Inkson personally received the decoration by King Edward VII during an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 12 May 1902.²

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Army Medical Services Museum, Mytchett, England.

Inkson is buried in Brookwood Cemetery.

He later achieved the rank of colonel after serving in the First World War.

References

References

1. "No. 27266". The London Gazette. 15 January 1901. p. 5086.
2. "The King´s Levée and Investiture". The Times. No. 36766. London. 13 May 1902. p. 11.

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)