At the battle of Magersfontein, December 11th 1899,
when the Highlanders were mown down by the terrific rifle-fire
of the Boers, Corporal Shaul's bravery and humane conduct were
so conspicuous that, not only was he noticed by his own officer,
but even those of other regiments remarked upon it. At one
critical time he was specially prominent in encouraging his men
to advance across the bullet-swept open ground, setting them a
splendid example by his own behaviour. He was in charge of the
stretcher-bearers—a very important duty—and was most conspicuous
in dressing the wounds of the injured. In one case he went to a
wounded man, and, with the utmost coolness and deliberation, sat
down by him and attended to him, in spite of the hail of bullets
which kept raining around him. He continually went from one man
to another, wherever he could mitigate suffering.
Sergeant Shaul is the son of Sergeant John Shaul, 2nd Batt.
Royal Scots, who served his country in the Crimea and in China,
1860. He was born at King's Lynn, Norfolk, September 11, 1873,
educated at the Duke of York's School, Chelsea, and at the age
of fifteen joined the First H.L.I., with which he served in
Crete during the fighting in 1898. He fought in South Africa
from the commencement to the end of the Boer War, receiving both
medals and five clasps. His commanding officers at Magersfontein
were Lieutenant-Colonel H. R. Kelham, C.B., and Major T.
Richardson, D.S.O., and the Victoria Cross was presented to him
by H.R.H. the Duke of York at Pietermaritzburg, August 14, 1901.
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