Hancock R E Lt DSO 1st Devonshire Regiment
LIEUTENANT R. E. HANCOCK, D.S.O.
1ST BATTALION THE DEVONSHIRE REGIMENT
RALPH ESCOTT HANCOCK was the only son of Frank Hancock, of Ford, Wiveliscombe, Somerset.
He came to the School in 1902, and won his Cap in 1905, and was in the XI in 1905 and 1906. He passed into the R.M.C., Sandhurst, in 1906, and was gazetted to
the 2nd Battalion of his Regiment in 1908. He was promoted Lieutenant in 1911, and served with the 2nd Devons in Crete, Malta, and Alexandria from 1909 to 1912. He was a well-known sportsman, playing in both the Cricket and Football teams of the County of Somerset. At Malta he played in the Polo team that won the Regimental Cup, and captained the Army Polo team v. the Navy. He was a well-known follower of the West Somerset and East Devon Foxhounds, and in 1913 won the Heavy-weight Point-to-Point Race of the East Devon Hunt. He won several prizes for rifle shooting. In August, 1914, he was sent to France with reinforcements to the Ist Battalion of the Devons, and was killed in action at Festubert on October 29th, 1914. Age 26.
He was mentioned in Despatches of January 14th, 1915, and awarded the D.S.O. The Official record for this is as follows:-
Lieut. Ralph Escott Hancock, 1st Bn. Devonshire Regt. “On October 23rd displayed conspicuous gallantry in leaving his trench under very heavy fire, and going back some 60 yards over absolutely bare ground to pick up Corporal Warwick, who had fallen whilst coming up with a party of reinforcements.
“Lieut. Hancock conveyed this Non-Commissioned Officer to the cover of a haystack, and then returned to his trench. (Since killed in action.)”
In 1913 he married Mary Hamilton, the younger daughter of the Rev. P. P. Broadmead, Olands, Milverton, and left one son.
Source : Memorials Of Rugbeians Who Fell In The Great War Vol 1
Hancock R E Lt Devonshire Regiment
Source : The Sphere 5th Dec 1914
Hancock R E Lt DSO 1st Devonshire Regiment
HANCOCK, RALPH ESCOTT, D.S.O., Lieut., 1st Battn. Devonshire Regt., only s. of Francis Escott. Hancock, of Ford, Wiveliscombe, Somerset, by his wife, Guita, dau. of Patrick Vans Agnew Reid; b. Llandaff, co. Glamorgan, 20 Dec. 1887; educ. Rugby; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 2nd Battn. Devonshire Regt. 29 Jan. 1908, and promoted Lieut. 1 Feb. 1911; served with his regt. at Crete, Malta, and Alexandria, returning to the depôt at Exeter in 1912; went to France, 30 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Festubert, 29 Oct. 1914, whilst endeavouring to reinforce another company who were in difficulties. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 14 Jan. 1915, and was awarded the D.S.O., having “on 23 Oct. displayed conspicuous gallantry, in leaving his trench under very heavy fire, and going back some 60 yards over absolutely bare ground to pick up Corpl. Warwick, who had fallen whilst coming up with a party of reinforcements. Lieut. Hancock carried this non-commissioned officer to the corner of a haystack, and then returned to his trench.”
At Rugby he played for two seasons in the first XI, and at Malta played in the polo team that won the Regimental Cup, and also captained the Army Polo Team v. the Navy at Malta. He won several prizes for rifle shooting, and played cricket and football for the County of Somerset. He was a well-known follower of the West Somerset and East Devon Foxhounds, and won the East Devon Heavyweight Point-to-Point in 1913 and 1914, on horses taught and trained by himself. He m. at Milverton, 17 Sept. 1913, Mary Hamilton, dau. of the Rev. Philip Palfrey Broadmead, of Olands, Milverton, Somerset, and left a son, Patrick Frank, b. 20 June, 1914.
Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1
