THE VICTORIA CROSS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10502, 9 July 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE VICTORIA CROSS.

A little piece of bronze, intrinsically worth fourpeace-halfpenny, cast from cannon taken at Sebastopol, is the proudest decoration a British subject can wear, for it represents the worldfa mod Victoria Cross. Up to date somewhere about 520 of these unassuming little trinkets have been awarded, each and all for deeds amply reflective of the simple yet deeply pregnant motto they bear: "For Valour."

But though invested with an atmosphere of romantic glory, many a stern tragedy centres round the winning of a Cross, and the ultimate fate of the winner. Some were killed in perform-

ing the very act for which their V.C. was awarded; many knew of their honors, but never wore them, and again capricious fate has overtaken others in a variety of untoward circumstances when real perils lay far behind.

Particularly pathetic, for instance, is the life and death story of one of the earliest winners of the Cross —a German, by tlie way. This was Sergeant Charles Wooden, of the 17th Lancers, who won the decoration in 110 less an event than the charge of the Light Brigade. On the retreat after that momoralile ride. Captain Morris, who led the 17th into action, fell dangerously wounded in front of the guns. Seeing this, regardless of the oncoming torrent of Muscovite dragoons, Wooden rode back to the officer, dismounted, and lemained there staunching the blood from his wounds until help came. For this and other gallant deeds during the war, the sergeant got both the V.C. and promotion, being subsequently gazetted

Quartermaster of tlie 104 th Foot. In this connection it is an interesting fact that though Wooden _ was an educated man, and long resident 111 this country, he never could master the pronunciation of the English language. This led to a humorous, but what- might easily have turned out a tragic incident, while he was serving in the Crimea. Returning to his lines after dark one night, he was challenged by a sentry: "Halt!" Who goes there " "Tisli me —de debill" the sergeant .answered in his broken English, and narrowly es-

caped having liis Mephistoplielian masquerade- ended by a bayonet thrust. Poor Wooden eventually died by his own hand, shooting himself at Dover barracks. Curious, too, was the fate of Lieutenant Hackett, V.0., 23ixl lloval Welsh. As a subaltern he had won :iis decoration in the Indian and surviving innumerable perils, was at length killed in Ireland by the explosion of his own gun. Another sportsman hero to meet with a tragic death was Lieutenant Dugdale, sth Lancers. This gallant young officer won promotion, two medals with five clasps, and t-lie V.C. during the Boer War. The Cross he received/ from the King in person oil 24th October, 1902. Exactly three weeks later, while out with the Cotswold Hounds, his horse fell at a jump and crushed its rider to death. And this was a man

wlio had just passed through over two years' service in war! Quite a number of V.C. heroes hav-e. survived the perils of sliot and shell onlv to he ultimately drowned. One of the' saddest of such cases was that ot Corporal Ryan, 65th Regiment-, who won his Cross during the New Zealand War, 1563. Poor Ryan never wore his honor, for soon after winning it he was drowned while trying to save a drunken comrade from the same fate. Colonel Moore, of the Connaught Rangers, who woii the V.C. 111 the Ivaf- | fir "War, of 1877, was eventually drowned in Ireland. Lieutenant jilphinstone, R.E., got his Cross for gallantry before the death-dealing Redan, and "was, ill addition, made a Knight of the Legion of Honor. He was in addition, made a Knight of the Legion of Honor. He was drowned on a voyage to Madeira in March, 1890. Still another V.C. hero to find a watery grave was Lieutenant Burgoyne, who

also won liis honors in the Crimea. He wont down with the ironclad Captain off Finistere in September 1870. In direct contrast, was the fate of Private Griffiths, 24tli Regiment. This "brave man got his V. C. for assisting to save seventeen comrades from drowning at the Andaman Islands, May 1867. Twelve years later he was killed by the Zulus at Isaiidlilwana. Lieutenant A. B. Dunn, 11th Hussars, was the only commissioned officer to will a V. C. in the cavalry charges at Balaclava. He was afterwards one of the few killed in the Abyssinian War. Private M'Maims, of the sth Fusiliers, made himself world-famous by exceptional daring in the defence of Lucknow. On one occasion he.fought singlehanded against dozens of Sepoys, and got his Cross for it. He, too, never wore his honor. He died from smallpox just as the Mutiny was finally crushed.