Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1914-11-06
ENGLISH await
VICTORIA Cross
Only Three Heroes of Euro
pean Conflict Marked
For Honor
GERMANY AND
FRANCE REWARD


York while the Kaiser is distrib-
uting iron crosses and Gar Nicho-
las and President Poincare are be-
strowing crosses Of st. George and
the Legion of Honor, with a gener-
Gus hand, much discomfort is ex-
pressed here. that so far, no British
soldier has been awarded the COW
eted Victoria Cross.
From unofficial circles, it has been
learned that three non-commissioned
officers and a private have been re-
commended by Sir John French, and
this recommendation will insure their
getting the little bronze cross, in
scribed For Valor" But no official
account of the deeds for which they
have been singled out for reward has
been made public, and the name of
only one Of the heroes is definitely
known.
Three of the men who will receive
the Victoria Cross are survivors Of
L Battery, ROYAL Horse Artillery.
These three and a dozen or so des-
that remain of the 176 men who we're
Compiegne in September.
The battery, operating with a bril-
gade of cavalry, had been covering
the retreat from Mons. For three
weeks they had been fighting contin-
uously and though they we're so tired
| they frequently fell asleep in their
| saddles, the enemy was never allow
ed to break through. On the last day
| of the general retirement, the very
eve Of the beginning of the Anglo
French offensive, the battery was or
dered to snatch a few hours rest
under the protection of French cav
airy. They were to be on the move
again at a. m, but owing to the
cutting of telegraph wires, or some
other cause, no orders came and
without their knowledge the French
cavalry retired in a fog.
When the fog cleared, the battery
was suddenly subjected to a terrific
fire from the ridge which they sup
posed was still occupied by the
French. Ten field guns and two Max
inns brought up by the Germans pour
ed in their fire at a range Of 500
yards.
Under the orders Of Captain Brad
bury, the British gunners unlimbered.
but could bring only three of their
six guns into action. The men who
were not killed or wounded in the
first few minutes manned the guns.
One by one, the German guns were
put out of action. but two Of the
British guns we're also silenced. leav-
ing only one to defend the position
By this time, but few men of the bat.
terry we're left. More German guns
were silenced. but at last only three
on-commissioned British officers
were left. All we're wounded, but
they kept up the firing until only one
!. German gun was left. single gun
duel went on until the British gun
ners. exhausted and faint from loss
of blood, could do no more. The
German gun ceased firing about the
same time and rescuing cavalry
found the three Britons crouched be-
hind their gun shield. The Germans
had also evacuated the ridge.
! All the officers with the exception
of Lieutenant Giffard we're killed
Giffard was seriously wounded and
has been awarded the Cross Of the Le-
gion of Honor by the admiring French
general He may get a V. c., but II
is more likely the British War Office
| will consider three crosses. to the
"non-coms" quite enough for one bat
terry.
The fourth man recommended by
Sir John French is Private F. W. Dob
son. of the Second Coldstream
Guards. Details of his heroism come
from a modest Letter received and
proudly displayed by his wife. Dob
son said:
| "Three Of my comrades we're sem
out on patrol when they were fret
on by the Germans. One got bach
to the trenches. When ! saw one
was wounded / volunteered to save
him. I went out and was heavily
fired on. l got to one who was pas
human aid. / had missed the wound
ed one. who was laying nearer TIT
trenches, so ] came back and report
ed the one dead. Then ] went on
again and with the help Of Corpora
Brown. brought the wounded mai
safely back. That was all that hap
pened. ] am told have been recon-
mended for the Victoria Cross, al
honor | never thought would COM
my way"
Mrs. Dobson also received a lette
of congratulation from her husband
company commander, confirming tn
nou,e of Tho Y e. recommendation.