Guards, only _s._ of the late Frank Powell, Postman, by his
first wife, Winifred, dau. of Joseph Tracey, of Gloucester; _b._
Longdon, near Tewkesbury, co. Gloucester, 29 Nov. 1889; enlisted 21
Feb. 1907; went to the Front with the first Expeditionary Force, and
was killed in action at St. Julien, 21 Oct. 1914. He _m._ at St.
Michael’s Church, Stonebridge Park, Willesden, 22 Feb. 1914, Emily
Annie (106, Goldhurst Terrace, South Hampstead), eldest dau. of David
Harper, of 31, Winchelsea Road, Harlesden, N.; _s.p._
[Illustration: =George Edward Powell.=]
=POWELL, HAROLD OSBORNE=, 2nd Lieut., 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon
Guards, only _s._ of Hubert John Powell, of Hill Lodge, Lewes,
Land Agent, by his wife, Mabel, dau. of Charles Francis Trower,
Barrister-at-Law; _b._ Lewes, co. Sussex, 20 Aug. 1888; educ.
Winchester; was a Land Agent in his father’s office in Lewes; joined
the Sussex Yeomanry in 1908, and the Inns of Court O.T.C. in 1912;
volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war, and was given
a commission as 2nd Lieut. 15 Aug. 1914; gazetted as attd. to the 4th
Reserve Regt. of Cavalry on the 22nd; went to France 8 Oct. 1914, and
was killed in action at Messines, during the First Battle of Ypres, 31
Oct. following; _unm._ Buried in a cottage garden at Messines. His
commanding officer at Tidworth, where he went through his training,
wrote: “I considered him one of the smartest and quite the most
able of the young officers here, that was the reason why I selected
him as the first of his class to go to the Front. He had a charming
personality and was always full of energy.” His commanding officer at
the Front also wrote: “He was fighting in the town of Messines guarding
a barricade at very close quarters with the enemy. I sent him with a
message to the Queen’s Bays on my left, and while carrying the message
he was shot by a sniper”; and the officer commanding his squadron: “I
had many opportunities of seeing your son’s behaviour under fire--it
was in the highest sense praiseworthy. He showed himself in this his
first and only action to be a very cool and efficient officer.” At
Winchester he was a member of the Commoner football XV, 1903–06, and
captain of Commoner VI, 1905–06.
[Illustration: =Harold Osborne Powell.=]
=POWELL, JOHN=, A.B., S.S. 1861, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action
off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=POWELL, RHYS CAMPBELL FFOLLIOTT=, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn.
Highland L.I., only child of Major-Gen. Charles Herbert Powell,
of the Lower House, Wickham, co. Hants, C.B., Indian Army, by his
wife, Alice, dau. of the late James Mackenzie, of Auchenheglish, co.
Dumbarton, and grandson of Capt. Williams Wellington Powell, 9th Regt.;
_b._ Dharamsala, Punjab, 24 July, 1892; educ. St. Clare, Walmer;
Winchester College, and Trinity College, Cambridge; gazetted 2nd Lieut.
Highland L.I., 3 Sept. 1912; went to France, 13 Aug. 1914, with the
Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action at Verneuil, 14 Sept.
1914, during the Battle of the Aisne; _unm._
[Illustration: =Rhys C. F. Powell.=]
=POWELL, WILLIAM ARCHIE=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 3821, H.M.S. Good
Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=POWELL, WILLIAM JOHNSON=, Stoker, Petty Officer, 284603, H.M.S.
Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=POWER, HERBERT=, Capt. and Adjutant, 2nd Battn. Northamptonshire
Regt., _s._ of the late Lieut.-Col. Frederick Edward Power (died
Sept. 1915), late Northamptonshire Regt., by his wife, Ellen Matilda
(7, Newsteine, Brighton), dau. of the late Charles James Barnett, of
12, Chichester Terrace, Brighton, J.P. and D.L. for Gloucestershire;
_b._ Northampton, 14 March, 1886; educ. Victoria College,
Jersey, and St. Paul’s School, London (Scholar); gazetted 2nd Lieut.,
Northamptonshire Regt., 24 Jan. 1906, and promoted Lieut. 1 Dec. 1908,
and Capt. 15 June, 1913; appointed Adjutant, 20 Nov. 1911; served with
the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from Nov. 1914, and was
killed in action at Neuve Chapelle, 12 March, 1915; _unm._ Buried
just outside Neuve Chapelle. Capt. Power was mentioned in F.M. Sir John
(now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915.
[Illustration: =Herbert Power.=]
=POWER, JOYCE=, Leading Stoker (R.F.R., B. 9324), 308879, H.M.S.
Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct.
1914; _m._
=POWNALL, GEORGE HARLEY=, Lieut.-Commander, R.N., only _s._
of the late Frank Pownall, of 7F, Bickenhall Mansions, W.,
Barrister-at-Law, Registrar of the Royal College of Music, by his
wife, Helen Augusta, yst. dau. of Sir William Henry Stephenson,
K.C.B.; _b._ London, 30 Aug. 1883; educ. Evelyns, and Cheltenham
College, and subsequently went to the Britannia, passing in third on
the list and first out; became Midshipman 15 Sept. 1899, Sub-Lieut.
1902, Lieut. 1903, and Lieut.-Commander 1912; served in China as
Midshipman, H.M.S. Terrible, under Sir Percy Scott, and on coming home
took his “five firsts.” He chose the submarine branch of the service,
and after serving in B.1, and having the charge of the A boats at Fort
Block House and serving in C.9, he was eventually appointed to the
Onyx at Plymouth and finally 1st Lieut. to the Egmont, with command
of the Malta Submarine Flotilla. He was second in command of landing
operations at V Beach, Gallipoli, during the landing at the Dardanelles
on 25 April, 1915, and was struck while giving orders from his picket
boat. He was carried on board a transport where he died in a few hours,
being buried at sea. He _m._ at St. Paul’s, Knightsbridge, 17 Dec.
1910, Vera, dau. of Henry Chichester, of Verbeer, Cullompton, Devon.
=POWRIE, THOMAS=, Private, No. 2852, 17th Battn. (Poplar and
Stepney Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), eldest _s._ of Thomas
Powrie, Private, No. 9754, 4th Battn. Royal Fusiliers (now on active
service in France), by his wife, Emily (58, Canal Road, Mile End,
London), dau. of the late Edwin Beard; _b._ Mile End, London, 18
Dec. 1896; educ. Harford Street L.C.C. School there; was employed in
the firm of Messrs. Remington, typewriter manufacturers, as a mechanic;
enlisted after the outbreak of war, 21 Aug. 1914; went to the Front, 25
March, 1915; was in the actions at La Bassée and Neuve Chapelle, and
died in No. 13 General Hospital, Boulogne, 14 Nov. 1915, of a bullet
wound in the head, received at the Battle of Loos. He was buried in the
Eastern Cemetery, Boulogne (Grave No. 2771).
[Illustration: =Thomas Powrie.=]
=POYNTER, JOHN JACK=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./16550, H.M.S. Hogue;
lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=PRATLEY, ELISHA=, Stoker, 1st Class, 238572, H.M.S. Good Hope;
lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=PRATT, ALFRED MASON=, Corpl., No. 3/614, New Zealand Medical
Corps, _s._ of James Pratt, Member of the Mounted Armed
Constabulary, New Zealand, formerly Sergt. in the Donegal P.W.
Artillery; _b._ Wyndham, New Zealand, 1886; joined the Staff of
No. 1 New Zealand Stationary Hospital at Wellington, 20 March, 1915,
with which he went to Egypt, and after some months in Cairo, proceeded
to Salonika, and was lost on H.M. Transport Ship Marquette, when that
ship was torpedoed in the Ægean Sea, 23 Oct. following.
[Illustration: =Alfred Mason Pratt.=]
=PRATT, GEORGE=, Stoker, 1st Class, 287482, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in
action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=PRATT, GEORGE WILLIAM=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 5284),
S.S. 100034, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept.
1914.
=PRATT, LIONEL HENRY=, 2nd Lieut,. 18th Battn. (London Irish) The
London Regt. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of Edward Roger Pratt, of Ryston
Hall, Downham, co. Norfolk, J.P., D.L., by his wife the Hon. Louisa
Francis, née Mulholland, dau. of John, 1st Baron Dunleath; _b._
Ryston Hall aforesaid, 17 Dec. 1889; educ. Uppingham School, and on
leaving there in 1904 entered Lloyd’s Bank. He joined the London Irish
on the outbreak of war, and volunteered for foreign service; went to
France with his regt. in March, 1915, and was killed in action at Loos,
25 Sept. 1915. On this occasion the London Irish formed part of the
47th Division, and referring to them F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French
said in his Despatch of 15 Oct. 1915: “The 47th Division occupied
the southern outskirts of Loos. Thence it pushed on, and by taking
possession of the cemetery, the enclosures and chalk pits, succeeded
in forming a strong defensive flank. This London Territorial Division
acquitted itself most creditably. It was skilfully led, and the
troops carried out their task with great energy and determination.”
He was buried at the cross roads between the cemetery and South
Maroc; _unm._ His Major wrote: “He was so absolutely reliable as
an officer, so conscientious, so calm. If he said he had been up to
the German wires, they all knew he had been--he was so absolutely
fearless. His loss was a disaster to the regt.”; and the Sergt. of
D Coy.: “It was D Coy.’s particular task to take the cemetery, just
outside the village. We got there all right, and going on splendidly.
A party of Germans commenced firing on some of the Scots following
us. A sergt. sent a message for an officer to come along. Mr. Pratt
immediately volunteered and walked along the top of the trench and
got a bullet. When he was lying there wounded he displayed his usual
great bravery, and was a wonderful example to his men. Everybody loved
and esteemed him, he was the Battalion’s greatest loss in the battle.
A better officer we could not have had, his work out here has been
invaluable.”
[Illustration: =Lionel Henry Pratt.=]
=PRATTEN, HERBERT=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 5720), 284931,
H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15
Oct. 1914; _m._
=PREECE, FREDERICK JOHN=, Private, No. 17016, 9th (Service) Battn.
Worcestershire Regt., _s._ of George Preece, of Newland Post
Office, Coleford, Glos., by his wife, Alice, dau. of John Grazier;
_b._ 30 June, 1896; educ. at Clearwell C. Schools; was in the
employ of Mr. C. T. Palmer, of Newland House, J.P.; volunteered and
enlisted, 29 Aug. 1914; served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary
Force at the Dardanelles from 20 June to 10 Aug. 1915, on which date he
was killed in action there; _unm._ He was a member of the choir at
All Saints’ Church, Newland.
[Illustration: =Frederick John Preece.=]
=PRENTICE, JOSEPH=, Acting Sergt., No. 7673, 2nd Battn. The Essex
Regt., 4th _s._ of the late Charles Prentice, by his wife, Sarah,
dau. of James Patient; _b._ Springfield, co. Essex, 19 May, 1885;
educ. there; was a member of the Essex Constabulary, and later an
employee at the Chelmsford Golf Club; enlisted 5 Oct. 1903; served
three years with the Colours, and then joined the Reserve; rejoined his
old regt. the day after war was declared, 5 Aug. 1914; went to France,
22 Aug.; served during the winter of 1914–15, and died in No. 18
General Hospital, Etaples, 29 May, 1915, of wounds received in action
at Ypres on the 26th. Buried at Cainers. He was recommended for the
D.C.M., for conspicuous bravery in the field, 14 March. Sergt. Prentice
_m._ at Shelly Church, Ongar, 1910, Alice (Well Lane, Galleywood,
Chelmsford), dau. of William Tarling, of Ongar, and had three children:
Joseph Charles, _b._ 29 April, 1911; Sydney Reginald, _b._ 5
Feb. 1913; and Gladys Evelyn, _b._ 18 April, 1915.
=PRESCOTT, FREDERICK JOHN=, Private, No. 12628, 1st Battn.
Coldstream Guards, 2nd _s._ of John Prescott, of Budleigh Hill,
Allerford, co. Somerset, Game Keeper to Sir Thomas Acland; by his wife,
Mary, dau. of Samuel Burgess; _b._ Selworthy, co. Somerset, 11
May, 1890; educ. Allerford; was a Gardener in the employ of Sir Thomas
Acland, at Allerford, for five years, and then for 1½ years in the
employ of Sir Ian Amory, at Tiverton; enlisted in the Coldstreams,
17 Sept. 1914; went to France 9 Jan. 1915, and was killed in action
at Cuinchy, on the 25th of that month; _unm._ Buried in the
churchyard there.
[Illustration: =Frederick J. Prescott.=]
=PRESTON, ARTHUR JOHN DILLON=, Capt., 2nd Battn. Royal Dublin
Fusiliers, only _s._ of Major Arthur John Preston, of Swainston,
co. Meath, late Duke of Wellington’s Regt., B.A., Trin. Coll., Dublin,
J.P. cos. Durham and Meath, by his wife, Gertrude Mary, dau. of
Richard Knight, of Bobbing Court, co. Kent; _b._ Luther House,
Huddersfield, 16 Nov. 1885; educ. Malvern College; gazetted 2nd Lieut.
to the 3rd (Militia) Battn. of the Durham L.I., 5 Oct. 1904, posted
to the 1st Battn. Dublin Fusiliers, 2 March, 1907, promoted Lieut.
15 Dec. 1909, and Capt. 2nd Battn. 7 June, 1914; served with the 1st
Battn. in Egypt, where he joined the Mounted Infantry, winning at Cairo
the Lloyd Lindsay prize. At the outbreak of the European War he was
ordered to Naas and afterwards to the Curragh to raise the 6th Service
Battn. of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, with which he proceeded to the
Gallipoli Peninsula on 9 July. He took part in all the heavy fighting
at Suvla Bay until 15 Aug. when he fell in the moment of victory. The
Colonel of his battn. writing to his widow, remarked: “I am sure all
Ireland will soon hear of the charge of the Dublins and Munsters on
that (15th) afternoon. Your husband (Capt. Preston, second in command)
was responsible for it and organised it splendidly, and in conjunction
with Capt. Whyte he brilliantly led it. It was a magnificent sight
considering they charged up a hill through a hail of bombs and bullets.
Capt. Preston got safely on the hill (capturing the trench), but in
the counter-attack was fatally wounded in the right breast. I was the
last officer to speak to him, and told him how splendidly he had done.
Personally, I feel his death very much. No man could have helped his
colonel more than he, the success of the regt. was greatly due to
him.” Capt. Whyte, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, wrote: “We closed on the
Munsters, and all collected on some dead ground about 100 yards from
the crest; I was sitting beside John, and he was in his usual spirits,
laughing and joking. When the word came that we were to clear the ridge
we fixed bayonets, then we all started together, Dublins and Munsters,
John shouting ‘Come on boys.’ They (the Turks) threw bombs and opened
fire upon us as we neared the top, but we went straight on and rushed
the trench. The Turks put up their hands. I saw John stop his men who
were just going to bayonet a Turkish officer. As you know, he was
my best friend, and was loved by every one in the regt., officers,
N.C.Os, and men. The only consolation is that he died a glorious death,
leading his men to victory, the death I am sure he would have chosen.”
Capt. Preston wrote to his wife on that fatal 15 Aug., remarking: “I
have had six hours sleep and am full of buck and life.” Also to his
father a five-page letter. The battle had even then commenced in the
valley below. It was written under strenuous circumstances, no change
of clothes for five nights, and only six hours sleep, no chance of a
wash, and exposed to the heat of a tropical sun, yet his last written
words were “Love to you all; I am very fit and quite happy.” He and
the Adjutant, Capt. Richards, who fell at the same time, were buried
side by side in the same grave close to the sea shore at Suvla Bay. A
flat gravestone covers them with their names engraved upon it under
the words “In Victory.” He was mentioned for gallant and distinguished
service in the field by Sir Ian Hamilton in his Despatch of 11 Dec.
1915. While in Egypt he and Lieut. Crozier sailed some hundreds of
miles up the White Nile from Khartoum, in a rough native boat, on which
occasion they secured a fine bag of big game, including lion, buffalo,
elephant, hippo, and various specimens of antelope, deer, etc. He was
a keen sportsman, well known with the Kildare and Meath hounds, and a
fine cricketer and tennis player, and the best shot with revolver and
rifle (tied) in his battn. Capt. Preston _m._ at St. Mary-le-Bone
Church, London, 24 March, 1914, Sylvia, dau. of Arthur James Billin, of
Tadworth, co. Surrey, and had a son: John Nathaniel, _b._ 27 Jan.
1915.
[Illustration: =Arthur J. D. Preston.=]
=PRESTON, GEORGE FRANCIS=, Private, No. 365, 3rd Battn. 1st
Infantry Brigade, Australian Imperial Force, _s._ of James
Preston, of Milton, Hampshire (who served as a gunner in the R.G.A.
for 12 years, and is one of the few survivors of Lord Roberts’ march
from Kabul to Kandahar), by his wife, Florence Alexandra, dau. of the
late Capt. F. Bunyer, R.H.A.; _b._ Harda, Central Province, India,
20 March, 1893; educ. National School, Milton; went to Australia in
July, 1913, and settled at Milton, New South Wales, to learn farming;
volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of war, and joined
the 3rd Battn. Australian Imperial Force; left for Egypt with the main
force; took part in the landing at the Dardanelles, 25 April, 1915; was
wounded in the right arm, shortly afterwards, and was killed in action
there, 7–12 Aug. 1915; _unm._
=PRESTON, GEORGE THOMAS=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 2520), 202274, H.M.S.
Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov.
1914.
=PRESTON, THOMAS ARTHUR=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17074, H.M.S.
Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=PRETT, JESSE=, Stoker, Petty Officer (R.F.R., Ch. B. 2123),
165403, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=PRICE, ALFRED=, 2nd Yeoman of Signals (R.F.R., B. 3715), 133963,
H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15
Oct. 1914; _m._
=PRICE, CHARLES LEMPRIÈRE, D.S.O.=, Capt. and Adjutant, 2nd
Battn. The Royal Scots, only child of Col. Thomas Charles Price, of 8,
Inverness Gardens, Kensington, W., late R.A., by his wife, Amy Earle,
dau. of Chas. Monteiro D’Almeida Lemprière, and gdson. of Col. Thomas
Smith Price, H.E.I.C.S. (who received the Punjab medal with clasps
for Mooltan and Googerat); _b._ Alderney, C.I., 17 Sept. 1877;
educ. St. Paul’s School; privately, and the Royal Military College,
Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut., Royal Scots, 8 Sept. 1897; and promoted
Lieut. 29 June, 1899, and Capt. 3 Nov. 1903; served (1) in the South
African War, 1899–1902; took part in operations in Cape Colony, south
of Orange River, 1899; operations in the Orange Free State, Feb. to
May, 1900; operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, July to 29
Nov. 1900, including actions at Belfast (26–27 Aug.) and Lydenberg
(5–8 Sept.); operations in Orange River Colony, May to 29 Nov. 1900;
operations in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. 1900 to Dec. 1901, and Feb. 1902
to 31 May, 1902; operations in Orange River, Dec. 1901 to Feb. 1902;
was acting Provost Marshal, Komati Poort, and afterwards Station Staff
Officer (twice mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 20 Aug. and 10
Sept. 1901], Queen’s medal with three clasps, and King’s medal with
two clasps; awarded D.S.O. “for gallantry in leading an attack on the
Boer position at Bermondsey, East Transvaal 16 May, 1901”; and (2)
with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders from -- Aug.; was
appointed Adjutant at the Front, and was killed in action at Vailly on
16 Sept. following, during the Battle of the Aisne, while in command
of the regt.; _unm._ A brother officer wrote: “I was present at
the Battle of Mons with him and also at Le Cateau, and in the trying
retreat almost as far as Paris, during the whole of which he was
indefatigable, cheery, doing the work of ten men, full of resource,
regardless of danger, the bravest and finest man I have ever known or
wish to know; in losing him we have lost our best, a great sportsman
and staunch friend. He will be mourned by the whole regt., by whom he
was respected and beloved”; and Private P. Clancy, in describing his
experiences during this time, said [“Dundee Advertiser”]: “We met the
Germans on 23 Aug. On the 26th we were nearly annihilated at Cambray
owing to the French reinforcements not coming up. About 7.30 o’clock
that morning one of our airmen descended and reported that the French
were advancing about 20 miles off, and would be able to reinforce us
about mid-day. We waited anxiously, but 12 o’clock came and no French,
and 5 o’clock and still no French. Half-an-hour later Major Butler
gave the order ‘Retire, men, for God’s sake; every man for himself.’
Shells were flying thick about us, and it was an awful order to give.
We got the order alright, but, with a few exceptions, it did not
reach the Gordons, with disastrous results to them. So we began the
never-to-be-forgotten retreat, with shells and bullets flying about
everywhere. We got into Einecourt. When we got between a church and a
farmhouse we came across two women and a child. Pipe-Major Duff said
he would stay behind and look after them. This he did, and we saw no
more of them. Our Adjutant, Capt. Price, who was one of the finest and
most popular of the officers, and who was on horseback, said to us
‘Keep your heads, men. There are no marked men here. If the bullets are
going to hit you they will hit you.’ The Gordons, 18th Royal Irish and
2nd Royal Scots were all together on the retreat, falling back as fast
as they could. The last fight on the retreat was at St. Quentin, and
then we fell back to Hams, within 24 kilometres of Paris. We blew up
all the bridges and the roads as we retreated except one bridge, and
upon that solitary bridge and for five miles beyond it 150 guns of the
outer defences of Paris were trained. On came the massed forces of the
Germans and started to cross the bridge. Out blazed the guns and the
bridge was blown to bits, along with the Germans who were approaching
and crossing it. Their losses were awful. But for us it was a terrible
retreat, and I shall never forget it. Then came the turning movement.
We were seventeen days and nights in the trenches at the Aisne without
being relieved. It was a time of artillery duels. Here we lost Capt.
Price, who had saved thousands of men at Cambray. He lost his life
trying to save another’s. One of our N.C.O.’s was wounded and began
to yell. Capt. Price was in his bomb-proof dug-out when he heard the
shouting, and he called out to the man, ‘Alright man, I will be with
you in a few minutes.’ Just as he got out of the trench he was hit by
a bit of shell, and died a few hours afterwards. His loss was deeply
regretted, because he was beloved by everybody.” At Mons, when the
troops were in full retreat, men of many regts. hurrying down the road,
and getting hopelessly mixed and out of hand, under heavy shell-fire,
he noticed some guns on a ridge and succeeded in rallying some of his
men in all that ghastly confusion, and holding the ridge for over an
hour, while the guns were removed. Capt. Price was mentioned in F.M.
Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 8 Oct. 1914, “for gallant
and distinguished service in the field.” He had the Coronation medal
and was Past Grand Sword Bearer of England. In a speech at the Annual
Dinner of the Royal Scots, Edinburgh Association (29 March, 1902),
Col. Douglas described how, during the Boer War, Capt. Price was
recommended for the V.C. They attacked the Boers, said Col. Douglas,
in a very strong position at Bermondsey, their flanks being protected
by precipices. It was a difficult position to turn. He sent Lieut.
Dalmahoy with E Coy. to the left and they were round the Boer’s right
in no time. The guns were in action at 1,600 yards. But E Coy. made the
Boers bolt. Major Moir and Lieut. Dalmahoy went after them. Then the
Boers took up a rearguard position, and it was here that Major Moir got
hit in five places. He (Col. Douglas) sent Lieut. Price with a message
to the firing line. When he reached it Corpl. Paul was in command.
Lieut. Dalmahoy, Private Sheddon and another man were lying wounded
about 50 yards in front of the firing line, which was 400 yards from
the Boers. The men had two of the small intrenching implements with
them, and with these each scraped up a little earth in front of them.
This was the only cover they had. Lieut. Price ran out, picked up the
nearest of the three wounded men, and carried him in. He found it heavy
work and called for three volunteers. Three young L.-Corpls., M’Gill,
Miller and Smith, at once responded. He made them take off their
equipment and coats, and did the same himself, and then unarmed and
in shirt sleeves they ran out. Nevertheless, the Boers at once turned
a heavy fire on them, and, in bringing in the wounded, one of the
bearers was hit. Lieut. Dalmahoy was again hit in the head, and Private
Sheddon was killed. Lord Kitchener promoted Corpl. Paul to Sergt. for
his gallantry, and recommended Lieut. Price for the V.C., and the three
young L.-Corpls. for Distinguished Conduct Medals.