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Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"

History

Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"

Great Britain -- History, Military -- 19th century; Great Britain. Army -- Biography; Soldiers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Victoria Cross

men who accompanied him, and, armed with swords and revolvers, they
rushed forward, stopped to breathe for a moment in a gully, and reached
the parapet, which some of them mounted. They were led by Captain Mercer,
R.A., one of those brave, gallant, God-fearing men who are an honour to
the service and to humanity itself. He had a presentiment that he would
fall, but he was prepared to die; like Havelock, he had been preparing
for death for years, and it did not take him by surprise. A Maori bullet
struck him in the jaw, carrying away the lower part of the face; he
rolled backwards on the ground mortally wounded. His party was repulsed.
Was there a man there brave enough to advance to his assistance? He must
hold his life cheap; he will have to pass through the double fire of the
enemy. But what sacrifice will our soldiers not make for an officer they
love? First one soldier advances, and then another and another, but it
was only to meet with speedy death. It was at this moment that William
Temple, an assistant-surgeon of the Royal Artillery, learned that his
friend Mercer stood in need of his aid. Without balancing chances, or
hesitating for a moment, he went where duty called—it might be to death,
it could not be to dishonour. He reached the spot so fatal to the others;
the most sanguine could scarcely indulge the hope that he could escape.
For a moment he was enveloped in smoke; every eye was strained till it
cleared away. A sort of sigh of relief rose from many a breast as he
was seen by Mercer’s side, doing all that could be done to alleviate
his sufferings. From instinct more than from intention, he stooped
when exposed to the fire of the enemy, and thus their bullets passed
harmlessly over his head. General Cameron, who had witnessed his devotion
to duty, only expressed the desire of the whole army in recommending him
for the Cross of Honour, which was awarded to him in the _Gazette_ of
the 23rd of September, 1864. Lieutenant Picquard, R.A., obtained the same
honour for carrying water to the wounded at the risk of his own life.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"

Great Britain -- History, Military -- 19th century; Great Britain. Army -- Biography; Soldiers -- Great Britain -- Biography; Victoria Cross

men who accompanied him, and, armed with swords and revolvers, they
rushed forward, stopped to breathe for a moment in a gully, and reached
the parapet, which some of them mounted. They were led by Captain Mercer,
R.A., one of those brave, gallant, God-fearing men who are an honour to
the service and to humanity itself. He had a presentiment that he would
fall, but he was prepared to die; like Havelock, he had been preparing
for death for years, and it did not take him by surprise. A Maori bullet
struck him in the jaw, carrying away the lower part of the face; he
rolled backwards on the ground mortally wounded. His party was repulsed.
Was there a man there brave enough to advance to his assistance? He must
hold his life cheap; he will have to pass through the double fire of the
enemy. But what sacrifice will our soldiers not make for an officer they
love? First one soldier advances, and then another and another, but it
was only to meet with speedy death. It was at this moment that William
Temple, an assistant-surgeon of the Royal Artillery, learned that his
friend Mercer stood in need of his aid. Without balancing chances, or
hesitating for a moment, he went where duty called—it might be to death,
it could not be to dishonour. He reached the spot so fatal to the others;
the most sanguine could scarcely indulge the hope that he could escape.
For a moment he was enveloped in smoke; every eye was strained till it
cleared away. A sort of sigh of relief rose from many a breast as he
was seen by Mercer’s side, doing all that could be done to alleviate
his sufferings. From instinct more than from intention, he stooped
when exposed to the fire of the enemy, and thus their bullets passed
harmlessly over his head. General Cameron, who had witnessed his devotion
to duty, only expressed the desire of the whole army in recommending him
for the Cross of Honour, which was awarded to him in the _Gazette_ of
the 23rd of September, 1864. Lieutenant Picquard, R.A., obtained the same
honour for carrying water to the wounded at the risk of his own life.

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"

Brave British soldiers and the Victoria Cross: a general account of the regiments and men of the British Army, and stories of the brave deeds which won the prize "for valour"

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