"FOR VALOUR."

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13134, 24 March 1906, Page 5 (Supplement)

"FOR VALOUR."

STORY OF THE VICTORIA CROSS. Firry years ago on January 29 last. Queen Victoria founded the Order of the Victoria Cross, and the little bronze emblem bearing the words For Valour" still remains the most famous naval and military decoration in the world, the one most dearly cherished, and the one that xias to be most dear:/ purchased. After 50 years the little bronze cross stands above all else the emblem of British courage and self-sacrilice in every corner of the earth. The wording of the notice issued from (lie War Office on January 29, 1856, was cold and formal. But the spirit which inspired it was far from reserved, and the spirit which still inspires the life of the Order is the noblest and the bravest in th? world. ( Naturally, it has formed the keynote ..." a thousand stories to romance, but it is'quite unnecessary to wander into fiction when one is faced by the romantic roll of the Victoria Cross. Up to the present 520 sailors and soldiers, including three civilians acting for the time being as-combatants, have received Queen Victoria's Cross "For Valour," and among the gallant band that bear upon their breasts this simple recognition of their heroism there immediately leaps into one's mind the names of Lord Roberts, General.Buller, Admiral Wilson, .Sir George White, and Sir Evelyn Wood. The record of the Victoria Cross is part of our national life. The reason which brought about the institution of the little cross was Queen Victoria's mournful appreciation of the individual acts of heroism performed by her soldiers and sailors in lie- Crimea, which had to go, if not "unwept and unsung," at lea-st outwardly unhonoured, and so Queen Victoria bethought her of the idea of the Victoria' Cross. its institution began a tale of biavc deeds performed in India• during the Mutiny, in China, in Japan, in Canada, in Ashanti, in Zululand, in Egypt, in Burma, in Crete— indeed in every land, in every clime where the' little British army which goes such a long way" has fought. the first "v.c." |

Naturally, the first recipient of the decoration, which is still made from the bronze of guns taken at Sebastopul, was a man who won it in the Crimea. This is Admiral Charles Davis Lucas, who, as mate of H.M.s. Heel a during the Baltic Sea operations in 185-1, picked up a live | shell which had fallen upon the deck of his fillip and threw it overboard. Tints, at the risk of a horrible death, he saved the lives of many others. Lord Roberts, the immortal " Bobs," won his V.C. 47 years ago. It was at lvhodagunge, during the Mutiny, when, following up the retreating enemy, Lord Roberts, who was then lieutenant, saw two Sepovs escaping with a standard. Galloping after them, Lord Roberts overtook them, when the men turned and faced him. Lord Roberts seized the standard, cutting ' down the man from whom lie took it. ' While this struggle was going on the other Sepoy levelled his musket point-blank at ; him and pulled the trigger. Fortunately it missed' tire, and Lord Roberts saved the standard. The same day Lord Roberts rode up to the rescue of a sowar, who was being attacked by a rebel armed with a bayonet. Small of stature though he was, Lord Roberts killed the Sepoy with one blow of liis sword and brought the sowar into safety. Lord Roberts is the only man on this roll of fame who possesses two Victoria Crosses. The second was won bv his son in his heioic eiforts to save the guns at Colein.o. Kvery one knows that Lieutenant Roberts died of his wounds, but the Cross that he won at the cost of his lite was given to him in death, and by the special permission of Queen Victoria Lord Roberts is permitted to wear the proud, but sad, reward of his son's bravery upon his right breast. HEROIC AUDACITY. Like Lord Roberts. Sir Evelyn Wood also won his Victoria Cross during the Indian Mutiny. When at Sindwaho he attacked almost single-handed a body of mutineers, and completely routed them. Shortly afterwards he indulged in an exploit of almost unparalleled audacity. Hearing that the enemy were about to hang a loyal native trooper Sir Evelyn Wood, then Lieutenant Wood, took a dozen troop- | el's and started ill pursuit of the mutineers, j After a ride of many miles they came upon the enemy, 70 in number, encamped and asleep. Selecting only two men to go forward with him, lie crept among the enemy, lired a volley, put the mutineers to flight, and rescued the man he had set out to save. He was then 20 years of age, and had actually . been recommended lor the Victoria Cross when he was only 18 years old. At that time he was serving in the navy during the Crimea war. Most people who have watched the passage of Royalty are familiar with the venerable and white-bearded ligure of Sir Dighton l'robyn, the Queen's private secretary. But few people know that Sir Dighton l'robyn long ago received the Victoria Cross as the climax to a long succession of gallant deeds performed during the Mutiny. Upon one | occasion he was surrounded by six Sepoys, 1 of whom he killed two, and wounded the rest before he escaped. Another time, when in single combat with, a Sepoy, his horse was wounded and one of his wrists was nearly severed before he managed to kill the mutineer. admiral wilson's fists. General Buller, the soldiers' hero, won his V.C. many times over on the same day during the-Zulu campaign. The occasion was when, with a very small force, General ' Buller had to face 20,000 Zulus. The troops that he commanded were very nearly overwhelmed, and would have been altogether j annihilated but for General Buller's personal j exertions. Captain D'Arcy, Lieutenant ; Everitt. and four troopers of the Frontier Light Horse were all rescued one aftei another by General Buller from certain death. It is, of course, impossible to give even one-tenth of the deeds that have won the Victoria Cross, but it would be a. mistake to close even a. passing reference to them without recounting the absolutely amazing exploit that won the Victoria Cross for Admiral Wilson. It was upon the famous

occasion at Tel-el-Kebir, when the British square was broken. Admiral Wilson, or, as he then was, Captain Wilson, was the man who mended it. Dashing out from the ranks he attacked several Arabs, and broke his sword. Throwing away the useless weapon he hurled himself unarmed upon the Arabs, felling several of them to the ground with his bare lists. The diversion caused by this most gallant action gave the York and Lancaster Regiment time to come up and save the situation.