Early Life :

Service Life:

Campaigns:

• The South African War 1880-1881, South Africa.
• The Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, South Africa.
• The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.

Although many perished in times of national conflict and in the service of their country, many more survived including those interned as Prisoners of War. Stories of those who did survive are included as part of this site, especially those with high gallantry awards, those included against an external rolls of honour and those who had a distinguished career in wartime and military leaderhip.

Detail :

Colonel Edmund Baron Hartley, Cape Mounted Riflemen, South African Forces.

In 1877 he joined the Cape Colony forces as surgeon to the Cape Mounted Rifles; in 1878 he was appointed principal medical officer of these forces, and subsequently colonel in command of the Cape Medical Corps. He served in the Zulu war of 1877-79, including the Galeka, Gaisa, Morosi, Tembu, and Basuto campaigns. He was decorated with the Victoria Cross for valour on June 5th, 1879.

Awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette 7th October, 1881 issue 25023] for his actions at Morosi's Mountain Basutoland in rescuing and bringing in wounded men under a heavy fire at the unsuccessful attack on Thursday, 5th June 1879.

He was serving during the Basuto War as a Surgeon-Major with the Cape Mounted Rifleman, South African Forces, at Morosi's Mountain, Basutoland (now Lesotho), when he performed the deeds for which he was awarded the VC. His citation states that "On 5 June 1879 in South Africa, Surgeon Major Hartley attended the wounded under fire at the unsuccessful attack at Morosi's Mountain. From an exposed position, on open ground, he carried in his arms a wounded corporal of the Cape Mounted Riflemen. The surgeon major then returned under severe enemy fire in order to dress the wounds of the other men of the storming party."

In the Bechuanaland expedition of 1897, when he was wounded; and in the South African war, 1900-2, receiving the medal with five clasps and the, C.M.G. He was later promoted to Surgeon-Colonel and served during the Second South African (Boer) War at Aliwal and Philippolis, where he was wounded. For his Boer War service he was created a a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

He passed away at his home in Ash, Hampshire, at the age of 71. His medals are in the collection of the Army Medical Services Museum, Mytchett. BMJ Obituary; COLONEL EDMUND BARON HARTLEY, V.C., C.M.G., Cape Colony Medical Corps (retired), died of heart failure following influenza on March 20th, aged 71.

His death was reported in the Western Morning News on Tuesday, 25th March, 1919 - "COL. E. HARTLEY.
DEATH OF DEVON V.C. -The death occurred last week, from heart failure following influenza, of Col. Edmund Baron Hartley, V.C., C.M.G., formerly principal medical officer, Cape Colonial Forces, and surgeon Cape Mounted Rifles, in his 72nd year. Col. Hartley, who was the son of the late Dr. B. Hartley, of Ivybridge, won the V.C. in the South African war of 1877-79 for conspicuous gallantry attending the wounded under fire at the unsuccessful attack on Morosi's Mountain in Basutoland on June 5, 1879, and for having proceeded into the open ground under heavy fire and carried a wounded corporal into safety. He also saw active service in Tembuland and Basutoland in 1880-81, in Bechuanaland in 1897. and in the South African war, 1899-1902. He was awarded the C.M.G. for his services in the last campaign. Col. Hartley married, in 1886, Ellen Deane, daughter of the late James Rose Innes,. C.M.G., of Cape Town."

In 1955 the actual Victoria Cross medal was bought at Sotheby's for the then record price of £300. It is now displayed at the Army Medical Services Museum (Aldershot, England).

ProbateHARTLEY Edmund Baron of Sandringham Hotel Southsea Hampshire V.C. died 20 March 1919 Probate London 14 May to Ellen Deane Hartley widow and John Steer Hincks solicitor. Effects £6703 14s. 10d.

See also: VC Online.

Masonic :

Past Master
He was initiated into Charles Egan Lodge No. 1975 whilst at Umtata, Africa on the 5th May 1883, probably one of 4 of its first initiates. He joined the British Kaffarian Lodge No. 853 shortly afterwards on 6th September 1883. He further joined Nyanza Lodge No. 1197, Ilminster as a retired Colonel, but resigned from the Lodge on 31st December 1918.

Source :

The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:

• The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• The (UK) National Archives
• Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
• ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry

Additional Source:

• Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
• Researcher : Bruce Littley