Heather: Driver J H Yeoman, S Battery, RHA received the Royal Victorian Medal (Queen Victoria) in Bronze in February 1901 for his services at Her Majesty's Funeral (Reference: Royal Service, Volume 1 by Galloway, Stanley and Martin.)
Short History of "S" Battery 1826-1926 indicates the following:
"1901: The Battery had the honour of finding a team and detachment to take part in the funeral procession at Windsor of her Majesty Queen Victoria. Lt. M. L. Goldie was in charge, receiving the MVO. The fourteen other ranks present received the Royal Victorian Medal.
The team was detailed to draw the coffin, which weighed some two tons with its heavy leaden casing, from Windsor Station to St. George's Chapel. A special gun carriage was provided which had been in the Royal Coachbuilder's hands for some days for fitting rubber tyres and making other alterations. The day in question was bitterly cold. When the time came to move off, the combination of cold and muffled drums caused the horses to plunge forward. One of the hooks on the splinter bar broke and the swingle tree fell on the wheelers' hocks causing further confusion. The team was take out and bluejackes pulled the gun carriage to the chapel.
After the lying-in-state the same team and gun-carriage took the coffin to Frogmore. Rehearsal had proved the brakes to be untrustworthy and descending the hill from the Castle, they gave out. Lt Goldie immediately ordered dragropes rear so as to take the weight off the wheel horses. Most of the crowned heads (including the Kaiser) and equerries joined in hanging on to the drag ropes and helped to avert what might have been a most unfortunate incident.
Much copy was made of both incidents, but no blame was attributable to either men or horses of the Battery."
Regards, Gunner 1
