Gunner Isaac Lodge VC

Isaac Lodge was born in Great Canfield, near Dunmow in Essex on 6 May 1866. He was a country boy and became a gamekeeper but on 29 Sep 1888 he joined the Artillery and posted to India with B Battery RHA. He later transferred to Q Battery and served with them in India, Ireland and Aldershot. Q Battery went out to South Africa in 1899 and was with the column that was ambushed at Koorn Spruit on 31 Mar 1900, also known as Sanna’s Post. The whole battery performed acts of great bravery in taking the guns manually out of the action when ordered to retire. Lord Roberts decided that, under Rule 13, the men of the battery should nominate by ballot who should receive the Victoria Cross. Four soldiers were chosen by their peers and Gunner Lodge was chosen from all the other Gunners and Bombardiers. Lodge was one of seven recipients presented with their VCs by Roberts at Pretoria on 25 October 1900. After the Boer War he returned to gamekeeping and then worked in Hyde Park. He was married to Minnie Elizabeth who lived to the age of 93, dying in 1963. They had a daughter, Gladys but she died aged 11 in 1916. Isaac died in London on 18 June 1923 and was buried in Hendon Cemetery.

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