On This Day ... in 1899 & 1944
Attempting to relieve Ladysmith, General Sir Redvers Henry Buller VC launched a frontal assault on strong Boer positions at Colenso. The Irish Brigade was badly mauled, and two artillery batteries advanced too close to the Boers and were lost.
The British suffered some 1,127 casualties, the Boers perhaps 40. Seven Victoria Crosses were won that day:
Major William Babtie, Royal Army Medical Corps
Captain Walter Congreve, Rifle Brigade
Captain Harry Schofield, Royal Field Artillery
Captain Hamilton Reed, Royal Field Artillery
Lieutenant Frederick Roberts, King's Royal Rifle Corps (posthumous)
Corporal George Nurse, Royal Field Artillery
Private George Ravenhill, Royal Scots Fusiliers. Ravenhill is one of eight men whose VCs were involuntarily forfeited.
Ravenhill's VC was forfeited after he was imprisoned for theft of a quantity of iron and could not afford to pay the 10 shilling fine. His VC-entitled pension was also withdrawn. Ravenhill died in poverty at the age of 49, and three of his children were taken away to be fostered in the USA and Canada. Ravenhill is buried in an unmarked grave at Witton Cemetery, Birmingham.
1944: In Burma, a gun of the Royal Indian Artillery in an advanced position was attacked by repeated waves of Japanese infantry. Havildar Umrao Singh, in charge of the piece, was seen in fierce combat with the enemy, and when reinforcements finally reached him, he was found collapsed from exhaustion, surrounded by the bodies of his enemies. He received the Victoria Cross.
His citation reads:
In the Kaladan Valley, Burma on 15 / 16 December 1944, Havildar Umrao Singh was in charge of one gun in an advanced section of his battery when it was subjected to heavy fire from 75 mm guns and mortars for one and a half hours prior to being attacked by two Companies of Japanese. When the attack came he so inspired his gun detachment by his personal example and encouragement to fight and defend their gun that they were able to beat off the attack with losses to the enemy.
Though twice wounded by grenades in the first attack, he again held off the second enemy attack by skilful control of his detachment's small arms fire, and by manning a Bren gun himself which he fired over the shield of his gun at the Japanese who had got to within five yards range. Again the enemy were beaten off with heavy losses. Third and fourth attacks were also beaten off in the same manner by the resolute action and great courage of Havildar Umrao Singh. By this time all his gun detachment had been killed or wounded with the exception of himself and two others.
When the final attack came, the other gun having been over-run and all his ammunition expended, he seized a gun bearer and calling once again on all who remained, he closed with the enemy in furious hand-to-hand fighting and was seen to strike down three Japanese in a desperate effort to save his gun, until he was overwhelmed and knocked senseless. Six hours later, when a counter-attack restored the position, he was found in an exhausted state beside his gun and almost unrecognisable with seven severe wounds, and ten dead Japanese round him.
By his personal example and magnificent bravery Havildar Umrao Sing set a supreme example of gallantry and devotion to duty. When recovered, his gun was fit to fire and was in fact in action again and firing later that same day.
Comments
What the hell was it with those guys and frontal assaults back in those days?
Posted by: trainer | December 16, 2006 4:53 AM
If ever I win the lottery, I'll take you to the Colenso / Spion Kop battlefield. It's an incredible experience.
Posted by: Kim du Toit | December 17, 2006 5:38 PM
Kim,
If *I* win the lottery, I'll pay the way and see your Spion Kop and raise with a Gettysburg, and Normandy Beach expedition. Might as well throw in a Ypre, Verdun, and Belleau Wood as well, since we'd be in France anyway.
-11F here today. Makes the walk into work a bit sporting. Perhaps Mr. FM could complain a bit more about the poor weather in England today so I have someone to feel sorry for..
Posted by: Larry Anderson | December 15, 2008 3:46 PM
I've been to Verdun.
The Ossuary is eeriest place I've ever been, or heard of.
Posted by: Fred Z | December 15, 2009 1:55 AM
Forgot to mention - look at the head on General Sir Redvers Henry Buller VC. Saxon beauty at its finest.
Posted by: Fred Z | December 15, 2009 1:57 AM
The British frontal assault on the Boers reminded me of a comment in one of the books I am reading at the moment. ('Botha Treks' by Lt.-Col. H.F. Trew). In the foreword Trew comments on General Louis Botha's First World War campaign against the Germans in South West Africa (Namibia):
"General Botha never gave them a chance to fight. He used his brains, and the legs of the commando ponies to save the lives of his men. He disliked the direct approach, and frontal attacks - the only criticism I ever heard him make of British generals was that they were too fond of frontal attacks."
Trew's book is a fascinating read and it frequently keeps me awake into the wee hours. All the more so because there are often references to the Anglo-Boer War where Trew and Botha served on opposite sides.
Posted by: Vincent | December 16, 2009 6:57 AM
"Too fond of frontal attacks" they were also too stiff-upper-lip, Make-the-most-of-what-you-have sort of chaps... Gallipoli was a mistake, landing too far from where they were supposed to, but rather than pull back onto the ships and come ashore again where they were meant to, the British generals just stuck it out and got their men killed.
Posted by: Rhys F | December 17, 2009 11:18 AM