George Nurse (VC)

George Edward Nurse born Enniskillen Co Fermanagh 14 April 1873 was an Irish 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.

Details

He was 26 years old, and a Corporal in the 66th Bty., Royal Field Artillery, British Army during the South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 15 December 1899, at the Battle of Colenso, South Africa, Corporal Nurse, with several others, tried to save the guns of the 14th and 66th Batteries, Royal Field Artillery, when the detachments serving the guns had all become casualties or been driven from their guns. Some of the horses and drivers were sheltering in a donga about 500 yards behind the guns and the intervening space was swept with shell, and rifle fire. Corporal Nurse, with three officers (Walter Norris Congreve, Frederick Hugh Sherston (The Hon.) Roberts and Harry Norton Schofield) helped to hook a team into a limber and then to line up a gun. Then, on his own, he managed to limber up a second gun.

Further information

He later achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum (Woolwich, England).

Reference

• Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)
• 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)
• Irelands VCs ISBN 1899243 00 3 Dept of Economic Devolopment The Cultural Traditions Group 1995

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Liverpool)

This page has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.