MILBANKE, Sir John Penistone
Lieutenant (later Lieutenant Colonel), 10th Hussars (Prince of Wales Own Royal)
London Gazetted on 6th July 1900.
Born on 9th October 1872 at 30, Eccleston St. London. SW.
Died on 21st August 1915 at Suvla, Gallipoli.
His memorial is on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli.
Digest of Citation reads:
On 5th January 1900 near Colesberg, South Africa, during a reconnaissance, Lieutenant Milbanke, when retiring under fire, with a small patrol, rode back to help one of his men whose horse was exhausted. Notwithstanding the fact that he was severely wounded in the thigh, the lieutenant took the man up on his own horse under very heavy fire and got him safely back to camp.
Additional information: He was the son of Sir Penistone and Lady Elizabeth (daughter of the Hon. Richard Denman) Milbanke. His father was the 9th Baronet Milbanke, JP,. DL. in Sussex. John Milbanke was Educated at Castlemount in Devon and at Harrow before joining the 10th Hussars on the 26th November 1892. He succeeded his father as 10th Baronet in 1899 before going to serve in South African War 1899-1902. He became ADC to General John French (later Field Marshal Sir John Denton Pinkstone French) and was mentioned in Despatches. In this campaign he recieved the South African Medal with six clasps.
In 1900 he was promoted to Capatin and won the VC 9see above. On th 6th December 1901 he married Leila, the only daughter of Colonel the Honourable Charles and Madeline Crichton at St. Peter's Church, Eaton Square, London. They had two children, both boys, John Charles Penistone Born on 8th January 1902 and Ralph Mark, Born on 11th April 1907. He retired from the Army in 1910 but rejoined at the outbreak of the European War (WWI). The following October he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry (later to become the Sherwood Foresters), going as the commandant of the Regiment to Egypt in April 1915.
He was killed in action at Gallipoli, later that same year in August as the Yeomanry charged up* Hill 70 under what was described as, withering fire, killing many men and officers as they neared the crest.
Note. More information on this charge can be read in Victoria Cross 1856-1920.