During the Boer War in 1902, Surgeon-Captain Martin Leake rescued a wounded man whose lay a mere 100 yards from the enemy line at Vlakfontien. He returned to rescue another officer, he was shot three times. Eventually, eight wounded men were brought in and Martin-Leake refused water until all the others were served. For his valour, he received the Victoria Cross.
In the First War, serving as a Lieutenant near Zonnebeke in Belgium, he rescued many men, all lying close to the enemy’s trenches, all the time under constant fire. For this he was awarded a clasp for conspicuous bravery (now known as a ‘bar’ which indicates a second Victoria Cross.) Martin-Leake survived the War.
This week, a team from the Trust gave the Martin-Leake family plot a thorough clean. It was an honour to work on the grave of one of only three double VCs.
