Lieut.-Col. Edward Denman Cropper

Does anyone have any more information on this chap possibly a Photo?

Lieut.-Col. Edward Denman Cropper, of the I.Y., and of the Pembroke Yeomanry Cavalry, died of pneumonia, March 29th, 1901, at 29, Wimpole Street, at the age of 46. He was the only son of the late Edward Cropper, Esq., Swaylands, Kent, and was educated at Eton (Mr. Day’s). He served in the Zulu War, 1879, as orderly officer to Sir Evelyn Wood, and was present in the engagement at Ulundi, being mentioned in despatches, L.G., Aug. 21st, 1879. Two years later he took part in the Boer War as orderly officer to Sir Evelyn Wood, when he was again mentioned in despatches. He was awarded the Albert medal of the Second Class and the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society for attempting to save a man by jumping overboard from the steamship “Idaho” on the bar off San Francisco on Aug. 6th, 1878. He obtained his commission as Capt. in the Pembroke Yeomanry, June, 1893, being subsequently granted the rank of hon. major, and since Feb., 1900, had been a Capt. in the I.Y., serving with the 9th (Col. Howard’s) Batt., with the rank of Capt. in the army. He was advanced to the rank of major and hon. lieut.-col. in the Pembroke Yeomanry in Jan., 1901. Lieut.-Col. Cropper was mentioned in despatches, L.G., Sept. 10th, 1901, and was granted the D.S.O.

Regards

Pete.

Edward Denman Cropper is mentioned on this War Memorial

Information from PEMBROKE COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL Website

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1879graves

Would those in military uniform in this photo, be from Lieut.-Col. Edward Denman Cropper regiment.
Or was it a local regiment with no connection to Cropper.

sas1

Hi sas1

From the same website, a list of officers present on the day.



Early on Friday afternoon the different contingents representing the Army commenced to assemble for the ceremony, and lined the open space on which the memorial, which was draped in a Welsh Red Dragon flag, had been erected. The representatives of the Imperial Yeomanry included: Major O. H. S. Williams, Second-Lieut. D. Davies Evans, Second-Lieut. W. G. S. Morris, Sergeant Majors Yarrow, Willmott, and 88 troopers. They were all on foot. The detachment of the 1st Shropshire Regiment from Pembroke Dock consisted of 25 privates, and the Regimental Band and buglers (under the leader ship of Bandmaster Harry Moss and Bugler-Sergeant Gray). Major Williams was in command, and the other officers present were: Colonel Dawkins, Captain and Adjutant Robinson, Major Wilkinson, and Lieut. Groves. The 1st V.B. Welsh Regiment was represented by 50 men selected from the different companies, and the following officers were present: —Captain and Adjutant Ronaldson, Major T. P. George, Captain W. J. Jones, Captain R. H. Treweeks, Lieuts. W. Marshall George, and W. Campbell Jones, Surgeon-Captain Lloyd, Chaplain Archdeacon G. C. Hilbers, and Sergeant-Major Cook (Haverfordwest). There were also present twenty men and one officer of the Royal Garrison Artillery, and ten men and a non-commissioned officer of the Royal Engineers. Among the others present in uniform were Sir O. H. P. Scourfield, Bart., Hon. Colonel of the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry, Colonel Mirehouse, Colonel W. R. Roberts and Colonel Ivor Philipps. The band took up a position in the centre of the enclosure, and whiled away the interval of waiting for the arrival of the procession by playing a selection of music. In the meantime the public had gathered in very large numbers, and every available spot from which a view of the ceremony could be obtained was occupied. The windows of all the houses in the vicinity were filled, whilst a number of persons occupied a grand stand in front of St. Mary’s church, and others were even perched on the roof of that edifice.

CROPPER, EDWARD DENMAN, Captain, served in the South African War, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 Sept, 1901]: "Edward Denman Cropper, Captain, 9th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". He died before he could be invested with the Insignia of the Order.n
DSO, Albert Medal 2nd type Bronze (Capt W Kent Mil), 1897 Jubilee, Zulu Medal 1879 (Capt ADC), QSA (2) CC OFS (Major IY), Royal Humane Society Medal Bronze (Capt 6 Aug 1878). Glendinings 1918 £90. Glendinings 1986 est £1600-1800.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book)

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http://www.gravestonephotos.com/public/gravedetails.php?grave=254352&personid=545812&scrwidth=1200

He received wounds in the Boer War, which led to Pneumonia!

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The weekly mail 29th November 1901.

Impi, Looks like he had a hand wound! 


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Haverfordwest  March 29th 1901

Littlehand thanks for clearing up the circumstances of E.D.Cropper's demise .
90th

Taken for image above.

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Marion Eliza Blanche Hill (née Cropper); Edward Denman Cropper

"THE LATE COL. CROPPER. The following extract is from a letter written by an Artillery Officer, who was engaged in the same action in Which Col. Cropper met his wounds :— I was transferred from the 30th Imperial Yeomanry into the Artillery at- the end of November. I remained with the same column. I was not far from Col. Cropper when he was wounded as they were doing escort to my guns. Some Boers were annoying our left flank and the troops engaging them were apparently checked. A message was then brought to the effect that the 30th, Imperial Yeomanry were to try and gallop the donga. As they cleared the last rise a very heavy fire was opened on them which must have been concentrated on Colonel Cropper, who was leading the squadron. They had not gone 200 yards down this slope when, unfortunately, they were brought up by another impassable sluit, and had to retire. The whole thing didn't take five minutes. When they got back Col. Cropper was found to be very badly wounded, but he had managed to ride back nearly to the advance ambulance. It was with great difficulty they got him oil his horse and no one expected he could live many hours. The engagement in which he was hit was at Kran’s Kraal about 25 miles south of Lindley. The enemy consisted of De Wet's rearguard, who made a determined stand on a strong position running across the main road north. It took us from 6.30 a.m. until 11 a.m. to drive them out. I put over 100 shells into them from my two guns alone. I think I can safely say that Col. Cropper was latterly one of the best known people in the O.R.C., having by many actions gained for himself the greatest reputation for gallantry. By his dash he made quite a name for the 30th, and if any risky work was to be done it was always the 30th who had to do it-until hit at last! It was wonderful how we used to get out of hot corners with little damage, and I always put it down to wonderful energy and dash"


SOURCE: HTTP://WELSHNEWSPAPERS.LLGC.ORG.UK/EN/PAGE/VIEW/3062843/ART24

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Estimate: £10,000 - £12,000 To be Sold on: 1 March 2017

“The unique Boer War D.S.O. and Albert Medal for Sea group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel E. D. Thornburgh Cropper, West Kent Militia and Imperial Yeomanry, who was awarded the Albert Medal and Royal Humane Society Medal for gallantly trying to save the life of a waiter who had fallen overboard from the S.S. Idaho in San Francisco Bay on 6 August 1878, by diving into the treacherous Bay after him. Subsequently serving in Africa, he was Mentioned in Despatches for his conduct at Ulundi during the Zulu War, and again during the Boer War, where he was dangerously wounded in December 1900, awarded the D.S.O., and died three months later. Only 12 Albert Medals for Sea have been awarded to the Army, and Thornburgh Cropper’s A.M. is unique for an act of gallantry in the United States of America.


Provenance: Payne Collection 1911; W. F. Hughes Collection; Edkins Collection, Glendining’s, September 1986

D.S.O. London Gazette 26 September 1901.

A.M. London Gazette 5 June 1879:

‘At 11 a.m. on 6th August, 1878, as the steamship “Idaho”, belonging to the Pacific Coast Steamship Company, was in the act of crossing the bar of San Francisco Bay, outward bound, about two miles from the shore, Thomas Nolan, a coloured waiter, threw himself overboard. Immediately there was a cry of “a man overboard”, and Captain Cropper, a passenger, without a moment’s hesitation, threw off his coast and waistcoat, rushed to the stern, and jumped overboard. Although Captain Cropper made a most gallant attempt to reach the drowning man, Nolan sank before he was reached. Captain Cropper was subsequently picked up by the steamer’s lifeboat, after being in the water five-and-twenty minutes. The steamship was going eight knots at the time, and there was a high sea running with a westerly wind.’

Royal Humane Society Case No. 20514:

‘At 11 a.m. on 6th August 1878, in San Francisco Bay, North America, Captain E. D. T. Cropper, West Kent Militia, jumped overboard into a rough sea 8 fathoms deep and 2 miles from the shore and swam through water towards the drowning man, Thomas Nolan, a Negro waiter from the S.S “Idaho”, but he sank before being reached and was drowned. Cropper then undressed in the water and waited forty minutes until he was picked up by a boat.’

Edward Denman Thornburgh Cropper was born at Swaylands, Kent, in 1855, and educated at Eton. Commissioned Sub-Lieutenant in the West Kent Militia on 20 May 1875, he was advanced to Captain on 20 March 1878.

In August 1878, Thornburgh Cropper, having married a Californian lady by the name of Virginia in 1874 (although records about their marriage were destroyed in the earthquake and fire of 1906), and whilst a passenger on board the 1,077 ton, 3 deck steamship Idaho, two miles from the shore in the Bay of San Francisco, made an unsuccessful attempt to rescue the life of a suicidal crewman who had thrown himself overboard. For his unsuccessful attempt to rescue the crewman, and one where it was considered that the risk of death to Thornburgh Cropper exceeded his chances of survival, he was awarded both the Albert Medal and the Royal Humane Society’s Bronze Medal, the latter being sent to him in February 1879.

Thornburgh Cropper returned from America and served throughout the Zulu War as orderly officer and extra Aide-de-Camp to Sir Evelyn Wood, V.C., and was present at Ulundi and with the flying column. He was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 21 August 1879), in which it is stated that he and Colonel the Hon. R. Needham, as orderly officers, ‘have worked continuously in assisting to get the column transport forward on the line of march’. He retired from the West Kent Militia on 29 January 1881, and was appointed a Captain in the Royal Pembroke Artillery on 29 June of that year. During the First Boer War in 1881 he again served as orderly officer to Sir Evelyn Wood, and was again Mentioned in Despatches. Following his return from South Africa he transferred to the Pembroke Yeomanry as a Lieutenant on 19 August 1885, and was promoted Captain on 15 June 1893.

Having reportedly served in the Spanish-American War in Cuba, Thornburgh Cropper was gazetted a Captain with the 30th (Pembrokeshire) Company, 9th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, and served during the South African War. He was dangerously wounded near Bethlehem, in the Orange Free State, on 29 December 1900, most likely having fallen victim to the Boer’s isolated but effective guerrilla tactics and dumdum bullets. The following month he was promoted Major and honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in the Pembroke Yeomanry Cavalry.

Mentioned in Lord Roberts’ Despatch (London Gazette 10 September 1901), and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order for his services in South Africa, tragically Thornburgh Cropper did not live to receive either award, dying on 29 March 1901 from influenza and pneumonia whilst recuperating in London from an operation, presumably related to the severe wound he had received exactly three months previously. Described by an officer who knew him well, ‘he was an exceedingly popular officer in “club-land”, and also in the county. He has been described as one of the “Dare Devils” in the British Army.’

Sold together with a letter from the Royal Humane Society giving details as to the case; and a photographic image of Sir Evelyn Wood surrounded by his staff officers.

12 Albert Medals for Sea have been awarded to the Army. In addition, only 18 Albert Medals have been awarded for acts of gallantry in North America, 17 in Canada, and this unique award for gallantry in the United States of America.

Note: Lieutenant-Colonel Thornburgh Cropper’s original Queen’s South Africa Medal (which would have been issued posthumously to his next of kin is in Newarke House Museum in Leicester. “

Source: DNW

Further information.

“Cropper.—Lieut. -Col. Edward Denman Cropper, of the I.Y.j and of the Pembroke Yeomanry Cavalry, died of pneumonia, March 29th, 1901, at 29, Wimpole Street, at the age of 46. He was the only son of the late Edward Cropper, Esq., Swaylands, Kent, and was educated at Eton (Mr. Day's). He served in the Zulu War, 1879, as orderly officer to Sir Evelyn Wood, and was present in the engagement at Ulundi, being mentioned in despatches, L.G., Aug. 21st, 1879. Two years later he took part in the Boer War as orderly officer to Sir Evelyn Wood, when he was again mentioned in despatches. He was awarded the Albert medal of the Second Class and the bronze medal of the Royal Humane Society for attempting to save a man by jumping overboard from the steamship " Idaho " on the bar off San Francisco on Aug. 6th, 1878. He obtained his commission as captain in the Pembroke Yeomanry, June, 1893, being subsequently granted the rank of hon. major, and since Feb., 1900, had been a capt. in the I.Y., serving with the 9th (Col. Howard's) Batt., with the rank of capt. in the army. He was advanced to the rank of major and hon lieut.-col. in the Pembroke Yeomanry in Jan., 1901. Lieut. -Col. Cropper was mentioned in despatches, L.G., Sept. 10th, 1901, and was granted the D.S.O.”

Source: Trade House Library.