Captain Edward Bradbury VC


Edward Kinder Bradbury was born in Altrincham, Cheshire on 16 Aug 1881. He was educated at Marlborough and entered the Royal Artillery on 2 May 1900. He served in the Boer War in Fincastle’s Horse from Jan to Oct 1902. In 1905 he was attached to the 4th Ugandan Btn, King’s African Rifles but was invalided home with fever. He was a keen racer and rode his horse Sloppy Weather in the 1909 RA Gold Cup, coming third, and also another of his horses, Hot Water, in 1911. He was promoted to captain in 1910 and served in India up until 1914 when he went to France with L Battery RHA.

They arrived on 16 Aug 1914 and went into action at Néry on 1 Sep. The Germans were attacking with great determination and L Battery fired on them, but received heavy enemy fire in return. Nearly all the officers of the battery were wounded or killed and three men were left to carry on; these were Captain Bradbury, BSM Dorrell and Sergeant Nelson. Bradbury had a leg shot off by a shell but continued to direct the gun fire until he died. Dorrell and Nelson coarried on firing until all the ammunition was expended, and managed to survive. Captain E K Bradbury was buried at Néry Communal Cemetery and posthumously awarded the VC, gazetted on 25 Nov 1914. BSM Dorrell and Sgt Nelson also received the VC.


Regimental Details | Soldiers


Armed Forces | Art and Culture | Articles | Biographies | Colonies | Discussion | Glossary | Home | Library | Links | Map Room | Sources and Media | Science and Technology | Search | Student Zone | Timelines | TV & Film | Wargames


by Stephen Luscombe