| Plumbe | John Hulke | | Major | He was killed in action at Graspan, November 25th, 1899. The third son of Dr S A Plumbe, of Maidenhead, he was born in 1858, and educated at the Oxford Military College. He entered the Royal Marines in 1877, was promoted Captain 1880, and Major 1885, and is stated to have been a highly qualified officer, being a specialist in gunnery, fortification, torpedoes, and other subjects. He served in the Royal Marine Battalion in Egypt in 1882, and was present at every action in which it was engaged from the occupation of Alexandria to the actions of Tel-el-Mahuta, Kassassin, August 28th, Kassassin, September 9th, and Tel-el-Kebir where he was slightly wounded in the hand and hip. He received the medal with clasp and bronze star. In the battle of Graspan Major Plumbe was in command of the Royal Marines belonging to the Naval Brigade. In this action their losses amounted to forty three per cent due to the 'unflinching and self-sacrificing heroism of the troops that led the assault. Three officers and 72 men of the Royal Marines were killed or wounded out of a total of 5 officers and 190 men. In the Naval Brigade Major Plumbe, Commander Ethelston, Captain Senior, and Midshipman Huddart were killed, and almost all the petty and non commissioned officers were struck down. Just before he was killed Major Plumbe said "Rush for the hill, men" and when mortally wounded his last words were "Forward! never mind me". A pet dog he took into action with him watched by his body for six hours, until the arrival of the ambulance. Major Plumbe was at first buried on the battlefield, but on the morning of November 26th his body was moved, and he was reburied close to Enslin Station beside Commander Ethelston and Captain Senior. Their graves were marked by a large cross. Major Plumbe's servant, Private Doran, died of his wounds. The names of Major Plumbe and his servant were inscribed on the monument erected in the Cambridge enclosure, St James's Park, by the officers and men of the Royal Marine Artillery and Light Infantry, in memory of their comrades who fell in South Africa and China. (See Commander Ethelston)
Source: Donner |
