Howard Craufurd Elphinstone VC

Name: Howard Craufurd Elphinstone

Conflict: Crimean War

Gazetted: June 4, 1858

Service: Army

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Howard Craufurd Elphinstone VC
Howard Craufurd Elphinstone Medals
Medal group

Place/date of birth: Sunzel, Russia (now Lithuania)/December 12, 1829

Rank when awarded VC (and later highest rank): Lieutenant (later Major General and Sir)

Date of bravery: June 18, 1855

London Gazette citation:

Royal Engineers. Captain Howard Craufurd Elphinstone. Date of Act of Bravery, 18th June, 1855.

For fearless conduct, in having, on the night after the unsuccessful attack on the Redan, volunteered to command a party of volunteers, who proceeded to search for and bring back the scaling ladders left behind after the repulse; and while successfully performing this task, of rescuing trophies from the Russians, Captain Elphinstone conducted a persevering search, close to the enemy, for wounded men, twenty of whom he rescued and brought back to the Trenches.

Click here to see full Gazette entry.

Other decorations: KCB (civilian), CMG, CB (military)

Place/date of death: At sea/March 8, 1890

Grave/memorials: Devonport Chapel, Devon; St Anne’s Church, Bagshot, Surrey; Exeter Cathedral, Devon; St George’s Garrison Church, Aldershot, Hampshire

Origin of VC to the Lord Ashcroft collection: Purchased at auction, Sotheby’s, London, 1990

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