Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven VC

Name: Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven

Conflict: Second Sudan Campaign

Gazetted: February 26, 1899

Service: Army

portrait_hore-ruthven_alexander gore
Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven VC
Alexander Gore Arkwright Hore-Ruthven VC Medals
Medal group

Place/date of birth: Windsor, Berkshire/July 6, 1872

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Captain (later Brigadier General and Earl of Gowrie).

Date of bravery: September 22, 1898

London Gazette citation:

3rd Battalion the Highland Light Infantry.  Captain the Honourable A.G.A. Hore-Ruthven.

On the 22nd September, 1898, during the action of Gedarif, Captain Hore-Ruthven, seeing an Egyptian officer lying wounded within 50 yards of the advancing Dervishes, who were firing and charging, picked him up and carried him towards the 16th Egyptian Battalion. He dropped the wounded officer two or three times, and fired upon the Dervishes, who were following, to check their advance. Had the officer been left where he first dropped he must have been killed.

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: GCMG, CB, DSO & Bar, PC

Place/date of death: Shipton Moyne, Gloucestershire/May 2, 1955

Grave/memorials: St John the Baptist Churchyard, Shipton Moyne, Gloucestershire; Quetta Staff College, Pakistan

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Christie’s, London, 1989

Current location of VC: Displayed on rotation at The Lord Ashcroft Gallery: Extraordinary Heroes exhibition, Imperial War Museum