In the dawn of March 13, 1900, the party that had
successfully destroyed the railway north of Bloemfontein had to
charge through a Boer piquet, besides getting over four deep
spruits, in order to creep back through the Boer fines. At the
last of these Sapper Webb's horse fell, and consequently he was
left in a precarious position. In the face of a deadly shell and
rifle fire, notwithstanding the great risk of being cut off and
captured, Sergeant Engleheart returned to Sapper Webb's
assistance. Some time was lost getting the man and horse out of
the spruit, and the position became momentarily worse owing to
the rapid advance of the Boers.
At last, however, he was successful, and, retiring
slowly to cover Webb's retreat, he was able to get him safely
back to the party. Shortly before this had taken place Sergeant
Engleheart had shown great gallantry in dashing into the first
spruit, approachable only in single file, which was still held
by a party of Boers who were hesitating whether to fire or fly.
Had they been given time to rally they would certainly have
destroyed our small lot of men, outnumbered as they were by four
to one. H. Engleheart, son of
the late Mr. Francis Engleheart, formerly a member of the Stock
Exchange, and grandson of N. B. Engleheart, Esq., Blackheath,
the last of the Queen's Proctors, was Born on November 14, 1864.
He was presented with the Victoria Cross by the late Queen
Victoria on December 15, 1900, being centre man of the last five
of her soldiers on whose breasts the aged Sovereign pinned her
Cross.
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