South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 8): From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 2 (of 8): From the Commencement of the War to the Battle of Colenso, 15th Dec. 1899
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
"Captain Congreve, Rifle Brigade, who was in the donga,
assisted to hook a team into a limber, went out and assisted to
limber up a gun; being wounded, he took shelter, but seeing
Lieutenant Roberts fall badly wounded, he went out again and
brought him in. Some idea of the nature of the fire may be
gathered from the fact that Captain Congreve was shot through
the leg, through the toe of his boot, grazed on the elbow and
the shoulder, and his horse shot in three places.
"Lieutenant the Honourable F. Roberts, King's Royal Rifles,
assisted Captain Congreve. He was wounded in three places.
"Corporal Nurse, Royal Field Artillery, 66th Battery, also
assisted. I recommend the above three for the Victoria Cross.
"Drivers H. Taylor, Young, Petts, Rockall, Lucas, and Williams,
all of the 66th Battery, Royal Field Artillery, rode the teams,
each team brought in a gun. I recommend all six for the Medal
for Distinguished Conduct in the Field.
"Shortly afterwards Captain H. L. Reed, 7th Battery, Royal
Field Artillery, who had heard of the difficulty, brought down
three teams from his battery to see if he could be of any use.
He was wounded, as were five of the thirteen men who rode with
him; one was killed, his body was found on the field, and
thirteen out of twenty-one horses were killed before he got
half-way to the guns, and he was obliged to retire.
"I recommend Captain Reed for the Victoria Cross, and the
following non-commissioned officers and men, 7th Battery, Royal
Field Artillery, for the Medal for Distinguished Service in the
Field:--
"86,208 Corporal A. Clark, wounded; 87,652 Corporal R. J.
Money; 82,210 Acting-Bombardier J. H. Reeve; 28,286 Driver C.
J. Woodward; 22,054 Driver Wm. Robertson, wounded; 22,061
Driver Wm. Wright, wounded; 22,051 Driver A. C. Hawkins; 26,688
Driver John Patrick Lennox; 22,094 Driver Albert Nugent,
killed; 23,294 Driver James Warden; 32,087 Driver Arthur
Felton, wounded; 83,276 Driver Thomas Musgrove; 26,523
Trumpeter William W. Ayles, wounded.
"I have differentiated in my recommendations, because I thought
that a recommendation for the Victoria Cross required proof of
initiative, something more, in fact, than mere obedience to
orders, and for this reason I have not recommended Captain
Schofield, Royal Artillery, who was acting under orders, though
I desire to record his conduct as most gallant.
"Several other gallant drivers tried, but were all killed, and
I cannot get their names.--I have, &c.,
REDVERS BULLER, General."
Appended is an account of the battle given by Captain Walter Norris
Congreve, one of the heroes of the day. It is deeply interesting, though
it makes little reference to his own gallant action for which he gained
the Victoria Cross:--
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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