Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery, V.C., was a British gun designer and officer in the British Army. Fosbery received the Victoria Cross (the highest awarded medal in the British Armed Forces) in 1865 before turning his hand to inventing and designing firearms.[1]
Early and Military Life[]
Fosbery was born on the 11th of April, 1832 in Wiltshire, England before attending Eton School. Having passed through Eton, Fosbery entered a Staff College and became a Lieutenant in the 4th Bengal European Regiment by the age of 31.[2]
Umbeyla Campaign[]
Fosbery's finest hour came during the Umbeyla Campaign, which resulted in him receiving the Victoria Cross. On the 30th of October 1863, Fosbery led a small party of men to recapture Crag Picquet in North-Western India.[3] The Crag had previously been held by a British Force which had been forced to retreat (which had also claimed the lives of 60 men), before Fosbery was tasked with leading a party to take it back. Fosbery not only took the Crag, but also pursued the retreating enemy force after the death of the regiment's commanding officer.[4]
Later Military Career[]
Fosbery was later raised to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, having been awarded the Victoria Cross in 1865.[5] He retired in 1877 after 25 years of active service.
Gun Designer[]
Fosbery took an interest in the design of guns, having witnessed, first hand, the effect of Robert Adams' designs in comparison to those of Samuel Colt. Fosbery began to design several inventions before one of them was taken up by Holland & Holland in 1885.
Paradox Gun[]
The Paradox Gun was a hybrid between a rifle and a shotgun. The first two inches of the barrels were rifled, a paradox at the time as shotguns were defined as being smoothbore firearms.
Webley-Fosbery Automatic Revolver[]
Webley & Scott took an interest in one of Fosbery's designs in 1895. The design was for an automatic revolver which used a groove pattern and a pin to turn the cylinder. Webley & Scott made the revolver for several years, with a few ending up in the hands of the Royal Navy and individual officers.
References[]
- ā https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22988/page/3425
- ā http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9E03E5DD133EE033A2575AC0A9639C946697D6CF
- ā https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22988/page/3425
- ā https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22988/page/3425
- ā https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/22988/page/3425