Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1914-12-16
MORE VICTORIA
CROSSES GIVEN
FOR GALLANTRY
Total Number Awarded Since
War Began Is Twenty-one;
Many Deeds Of Daring and
Goodness Recorded.


last few weeks bring the total number
of these awards during the present
war up 10 twenty-one
The cross Is the highest reward
given to the British army for some
signal act OF valor or devotion per-
formed In the presence OF the en-
envy" The medal Is in the form OF
a maltese cross OF bronze, bearing In
the center the royal crown. SUR
mounted by the lion. and below on
a scroll, the words For valor." The
ribbon is blue for the navy and red
for the army. The decoration is ac-
companied by pension of fifty dol
lars a year. Official lists Of surviving
holders OF the honor at the beginning
OF tho present war contained about
80 names. >
The ten latest ~ c." awards are
as follows:
Private Sidney Cooley, Royal Fusi-
iicrs: For GOODNESS and gallantry I'm
fighting his machine gun under a hot
fire for two hours after he had been
wounded at Mons on August 30.
f'iNti 'Vb btoiis anu Diif ti Fitu-
|erick Luke, Royal Field artillery: At
LeGateau on August 26, as volunteers
helping 10 save guns under fire from
hostile infantry 100 yards away.
Died In Enemy's Hands.
Major Charles Yate, deceased,
Kings own Light infantry: Command
ed one of two companies that re-
manned to end in trenches at La Ca
tcau on August rs: when all other Of
fcers killed or wounded. led his nine
teen survivors in gallant charge.
Wounded; died in hands opponents.
Lance Corporal Frederick Holmes,
Kings own Light infantry: At lie Ca
teau on August rs carried wounded
man from trenches under heavy fire;
later assisted to drive gun out of
action by taking place Of a wounded
driver.
Captain Edward Bradbury, deceas@
ed. Royal Horse artillery: Organized
defense Of battery against heavy odds
at Merry on September 1.
Captain William Henry Johnston,
Royal Engineers: AT Missy on Septem-
Der IA, under heavy fire worked two
RATS bringing back wounded and re-
turning with ammunition.
Drummer Spense John Bent Ask,
Lancashire regiment; for taking COM
mand and succeeding in holding a
position after his officer had been
struck down, and other deeds Of
bravery.
Bonbardier Ernest HarloclS, now
sergeant. Royal Field artillery: For
conspicuous gallantry on September
Is near vendresse; although twice
wounded. persisted In returning to
lay his gun each time after wounds
dressed.
Lance Corporal Dobson, Cold
stream Guards: for bringing wound
cd men into cover on two occasions
While under heavy fire.
bradbury Real Hero.
The most conspicuous OF these
heroes is Captain Bradbury, whose
Battery l. made a determined stand
near Compiegne on the last day Of
the retreat towards Paris. Battery l.
while covering the retreat. was att
tackled by strong German force with
ten field gunds and two maxims
Three British guns were brought into
action but two of them were quickly
silenced Bradbury and his men serv-
ed the remaining gun so we'll. how
ever. that all but one of the German
guns were silenced. and when Battery
/. was relieved. this gun was captur-
ed. An account of the action says:
Captain Bradbury was the real
hero. He got tho gun into action and |
gave the orders. Mundy knelt on one
side as ranging Officers; Bradbury,
Campbell and Giffard, with the bat
terry sergeant-major, gunner and driv-
err, served the gun. Bradbury had one
leg taken off, but still went on Camp
bell and Mundy We're killed. Bradbury
had his other leg taken off and Gift
fafd was badly wounded, hut stu
they Kept the gun going; and when
Battery ! came up they found the
Germans had bolted Only. the major
and Giffard. who received five bullets,
survived"
Three V. C.'s have now been award
td III tuuutttith WIN tfiih hbiftt Ser
geant- Major Dorrell and Sergeant
Nelson having already received the
decoration. In addition, Lieutenant
Giffard. Gunner Darbyshire and Driv-
err Osborne were awarded French dec
orations.
The first Indian to be recommend
ed for the V. c. is Havildar (Sergeant) |
Gagna Singh. of the Fifty-seventh |
Wilde's Rifles The Havildar. with
fifteen men, was attacked In the
trenches just before dawn by an over
whelming German force. In the brief |
hand struggle which ensued.
sixty Germans were killed, Gagna
Singh, sole survivor Of his little COM
pany. was left for dead in the trench
with five bullet wounds. When picked
up, he still held tightly the sword of
a German officer whom he had dis
patched
This is the first war In which II has
been possible for an Indian to win
the Victoria Cross. Eligibility to the
was one of the boons
granted by King George at the Dur
bar OF 1919.