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He subsequently served during the Great War with the 1/88th Infantry, Indian Army, and was advanced to Major (additionally entitled to the British War and Victory Medals). He retired on 23 November 1921, and died in 1955. Two First Class (to Ross and Captain Charles Creaghe Donovan) and eleven Second Class Albert Medals for Land were awarded for this potentially disastrous fire and the resulting operations to bring it under control. The lengthy delay between the action and the date of the awards being Gazetted is unexplained.
1883 Jun 20 Born Lewes, Sussex. Father: Eglintoune Frederick Thomas Ross Mother: Elizabeth
1891 Census at 68 Lansdowne Place, Hove, Sussex
1901 census A visitor at a house in Woking
1902 Aug 12. To be 2nd Lt in RGA, Lieutenant Eglintoune Frederick Ross, from 4th Battalion the Royal Irish Regiment, with precedence next below Second Lieutenant John P. Whelan.
1905 Jul 19 Promoted Lt in RGA
1906 Awarded Albert Medal. Whitehall, August 25, 1913. The KING has been pleased to approve of Albert Medals being conferred upon the undermentioned officers and non-commissioned officer in recognition of their gallantry in saving lifeon the occasion of a fire caused by explosions of cordite at Ferozepore in the year 1906. Albert Medal of the First Class. Captain (then Lieutenant) Eglintoune Frederick Ross. ... A full description of the explosion and of the gallantry of various officers and others to whom Albert Medals were awarded in 1911 will be found in the London Gazette of September 26th, 1911. Captain Ross discovered the fire, and with a detachment of his regiment entered the magazine' compound with a small hand engine fed from tanks in the magazine, and attempted, to put out the fire. He; also worked at getting; the steam engine into position.
He was presented with his Albert Medal by H.E. the Governor of Madras on 7 February 1914.
The Albert Medal was abolished in 1949, being replaced by the George Cross,
‘On 30th August 1906, a fire broke out in one of the magazines of the Ferozepore Arsenal comprising five cells in which were stored cordite, small-arms ammunition and gunpowder. At an early stage the ends of one of the outer cells (No. 10) were blown out by a explosion of cordite, while from cell No. 9, where small-arms ammunition was stored, smoke was seen to be issuing. Major-General Anderson, who directed the subsequent operations from a roof at the edge of the magazine compound, at a distance of some 20 yards, having ordered all persons to be cleared out of the fort, and placed a cordon round it at 1,000 yards distance, a steam fire-engine was got to work, and the fire party which had been organised commenced their highly dangerous task of clearing cell No. 8 in which was stored some 19,000lbs. of gunpowder; they eventually succeeded in so doing, thereby cutting off the fire by the intervention of an empty cell. Had the powder in this cell exploded, the explosion must have been communicated to cells in an adjoining magazine where 300,000lbs. of gunpowder was stored. Captain Donovan volunteered to clear cell No. 8, and led the fire party, and all concerned acted with the greatest coolness in circumstances calling for a high degree of courage. The door of the cell was opened and the fire hose turned on. Major Campbell joined the party by the cell, and returned in a short while and reported to General Anderson that though the cell was full of smoke, and the barrels hot, there was no actual fire in the cell. As, however, the explosions in the ruined cell No. 10 were becoming more violent, General Anderson, fearing that the barrels of powder which were being removed from cell No. 8 would be ignited, ordered the discontinuance of efforts to clear the cell; the pumping-engine was, however, kept at work by Mr. Dow and some native assistants. A series of heavy explosions of cordite now took place and on the occurrence of a lull Captain Clarke went to reconnoitre, and reported that cell No. 9 was still apparently intact. Major Campbell and Mr. Pargiter subsequently went into the enclosure to investigate, and on their report being received a party including fifty Lascars was organised, and the removal of the powder barrels in cell No. 8 was recommenced under cover of the fire-hose. During their removal the last important explosion of cordite took place some 12 yards away. Eventually all the barrels were removed without accident.
1909 Sep 15Married in Brighton to SHERAR Alice Winifred
1909 Dec 12. The Dorsetshire Regiment, The promotion to the rank of Lieutenant of Second Lieutenant Richard E. Partridge is antedated to 12th December, 1909, vice Lt E. F. Ross, admitted to the Indian Army
1911 census a lodger in Isle of Wight with his wife. He is a Lt in Indian Army
1911 Aug 12. Promoted Captain in Indian Army . A Company Commander with 75th.Carnatic Infantry
1917 Aug 12. Captains -to be Majors. Eglintoune Frederick Ross, 88th Carnatic In- fantry
1921 census A Boarder at 135, Westbourne Terrace, Paddington
1921 Oct 23 Retired
1921 Oct 26. Joined ADRIC with service no 2133. Posted to Depot
1921 Oct 29. In Stevens Hospital
1921 Nov 11. Permitted to resign on compassionate grounds
1923 Divorce Court File: 2789. Appellant: Alice Winifred Ross. Respondent: Eglintoune Frederick Ross. Type: Wife's petition for divorce
After that he disappears.
1955 Died (from AM write up) Buried Hove
2017 His AM was actioned and fetched £15000
An Infantry Officer’s Albert Medal in Gold for Land awarded to Lieutenant E. F. Ross, Dorset Regiment, later Major, Indian Army, for gallantry during the Ferozepore Arsenal Fire, 30 August 1906. 2 Albert Medals in Gold and 11 Albert Medals in Bronze were awarded for the operations to extinguish the fire and prevent the explosion of over 300,000lbs. of gunpowder Albert Medal, 1st Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, gold and enamel, the reverse officially engraved ‘Presented in the name of His Majesty to Captain (then Lieut.) Eglintoune Frederick Ross for Gallantry in saving life at Ferozepore on the 31st. August 1906.’