Henry Corbett Gorton was born in Burton-on-Trent, 28th October, 1871, and was educated at Burton Grammar School. A tablet was errected to his memory by a large number of his school friends in the Burton Parish Church. Henry Gorton was severely wounded at Wagon Hill on 6 Jan 1900 and died of his wounds at Intombi on 10 Jan 1900. The Biggins roll also notes him as being wounded at Elandslaagte (surname given as Gordon). A file reference records: “Trooper ‘Dicky’ Gorton received no less than 13 wounds. When he was being carried away on a stretcher, he had a cheery smile left and waved a hand to his understanding comrades, in mute farewell. He died four days later. His surviving comrades like to think that:- ‘All the Trumpets sounded for him on the other side.’

He had been severely wounded at Elandslaagte and had only been discharged from hospital a day or two before the battle of Wagon Hill. In many respects Gorton was typical of the Imperial Light Horseman. An Inter-Provincial Rugby player of splendid physique, he loved the rough and tumble of the game, just as he loved any other manly adventure; the keener the fight, the more his blue eyes would twinkle. To him (as to so many more of his comrades), the Empire was a Creed, and in its service his own life was of little account.

Temperamentally he was good natured and easy going, but in battle a fearless and formidable opponent. Wordsworth might well have had Gorton’s life and death in mind when he penned his immortal lines:- ‘Who is the Happy Warrior? Who is he That every man in arms should wish to be?’