Waggon Hill Ladysmith.
Ian Hamilton, Miller-Wallnutt, Capt. Fitzgerald, Sergt.
Lindsay, and Trooper Albrecht, I.L.H., Gunner Sims, RN., and
others threw themselves against, the stream of panic-stricken
men and checked their flight. Then they sprang forward to the
crest. A dozen Boers had leapt on to the summit But in the teeth
of a hail of bullets from the Imperial Light Horse fort, 200
yards away, all but three hung back. The three, De Villiers, De
Jager and Gert Wessels, rushed forward. There was a wild race
for the gun-pits. Hamilton reached the 4.7 emplacement first,
and, leaning his arm on the sandbag parapet, fired his revolver
at the nearest Boer. Almost immediately Albrecht fired from
outside the pit, while, at the same moment, from the other gun
pit rose the head and shoulders of Digby Jones and of Corpl.
Hockaday, R.E., each firing at his man. De Villiers and De Jager
fell dead against the wall of the 4.7 gun-pit, Wessels at the
lower emplacement. Miller-Wallnutt fell, shot through the head,
as lie reached the 4.7 gun-pit : the brave Albrecht a second
later.
Sir A. Conan Doyle says, in his " Great Boer War (page 228) :
" There has been no better fighting in our time than that upon
Waggon Hill on that January morning, and no better fighters than
the Imperial Light Horsemen who joined the centre of the
defence. Here, as at Elandslaagte, they proved themselves worthy
to stand in line with the crack regiments of the British Army."
Trooper Albrecht was awarded the Victoria Cross by King
Edward. for which he would have been recommended had he lived.
London Gazette, 8 Aug. 1902: Robert James Thomas Digby
Jones, Lieutenant Royal Engineers, and No. 459, Trooper H.
Albrecht, Imperial Light Horse. Would have been recommended for
the Victoria Cross had they survived, on account of their having
during the attack on Waggon Hill (Ladysmith) on 6 Jan. 1900,
displayed conspicuous bravery and gallant conduct in leading the
force which reoccupied the top of the hill at a critical moment
just as the three foremost attacking Boers reached it, the
leader being shot by Lieut. Jones and the two others by
Albrecht." The Victoria Cross was given to Sergt. Albrecht's
representatives in accordance with the regulations of 8 Aug.
1902. |
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