Category: War

Artist Fortunino Matania’s impression of the last 13 pounder gun of “L” Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, in action at Néry, 1st September 1914.

The Action at Néry. On the morning of 1st September 1914, the German 4th Cavalry Division attacked the 1st Cavalry Brigade and “L” Battery, who had been camped in the village of Néry. In the action that followed, L Battery, less for one gun, was all but destroyed.

The 13-pounder gun manned by Captain Bradbury, WO2 Dorrell, Sergeant Nelson, and Gunners Osbourne and Darbyshire, managed to keep the single gun in action against the three German Batteries located a thousand yards away.

The Artillery fire put down by this gun allowed the 1st Cavalry Brigade to deliver a successful Counter attack. For this action Captain Edward Bradbury, Battery Sgt.Major George Dorrell and Sergeant David Nelson, were all awarded the Victoria Cross.

Bradbury was fatally wounded at the end of the fighting, dying shortly afterwards; Nelson was killed in action in April 1918, whilst Dorrell survived the war (He died in 1971). Both Dorrell and Nelson were also given commissions as second lieutenants; they would later reach the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and Major respectively.

The VCs awarded to all three, along with the surviving gun which they had used, are now on display at the Imperial War Museum in London.

Here it is today