Lot Essay
Private A. Evans was wounded and recommended for an award in the Victoria Cross action at Van Wyk's Vlei on 22.8.1900.
'About three miles east of Van Wyk's Vlei, where the country begins to dip in a succession of ledges to the valley of the Komati, Privates Evans and Bee, who were leading men of a patrol of Lieut. Field's troop, came suddenly on a number of Boers who were artfully concealed near a farm. The Boers opened fire, hit both Privates Evans and Bee, and captured Private Bee and the horses, but Evans, seeing that the Boers were lying in wait at this spot, where the ground kept dropping so sharply that their presence could not be detected, and that part of a company of the Gordon Highlanders were rapidly advancing into the same trap as he had fallen into, managed, in spite of his wound, to wave his helmet and shout to the Gordons, preventing them advancing to probably the same fate as he had met.
Lieut. Field, seeing that his patrol had got into a tight place, went forward to their aid, and finding Evans severely wounded, endeavoured to get him away out of fire, but in doing so he was hit himself in the shoulder, and had difficulty in crawling away under the heavy fire he had provoked' (The 18th Hussars in South Africa refers)
Three Victoria Crosses were won at Van Wyk's Vlei on 22.8.1900 and Private Evans was recommended for an award by General Buller to Lord Roberts. Oddly, he did not receive recognition for his gallant act, though backed by strong references from his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel E.C. Knox:
'I forward herewith a statement from Lieut. and Adjutant Shee, 19th Hussars, concerning No. 4480 Private Albert Evans, of the Regiment under my command.
Private Evans was employed as a scout yesterday in front of his Squadron "C", and was wounded severely while reconnoitring near a farm. I have the honour to request that you will bring the conduct and behaviour of this man to the notice of the General Officer Commanding for favourable consideration.'
Shee's statement read:
'With reference to your memorandum of today, asking me to give the particulars in the case of Private Evans, 18th Hussars, I have the honour to state that yesterday afternoon, the 21st of August, I was walking across the plateau above the farm, two miles east of this camp, and met a company of Gordon Highlanders advancing to the edge of the ridge overlooking the farm. About 500 yards off, on the left flank of the Gordons, a man was waving his helmet whilst lying on the ground, and the officer commanding the party asked me to find out what he wanted, and I did so. I found the man to be a Private of the 18th Hussars, who was wounded in two places. He told me that he had waved his helmet in order to attract attention, and let the Gordons know that the enemy were holding the farm (about 400 yards from the ridge), and that if they, the Gordons, advanced to the edge they would show up against the sky line with no cover. I galloped back and told the officer of the Gordons before mentioned, whose name I do not know, and then went back and brought Private Evans in to the doctor. He informed me on the way that one of his patrol had been killed close to the farm, and that he had crawled away over the ridge and lay there until the Gordons advanced' (War Office records and The 18th Hussars in South Africa refer).
'About three miles east of Van Wyk's Vlei, where the country begins to dip in a succession of ledges to the valley of the Komati, Privates Evans and Bee, who were leading men of a patrol of Lieut. Field's troop, came suddenly on a number of Boers who were artfully concealed near a farm. The Boers opened fire, hit both Privates Evans and Bee, and captured Private Bee and the horses, but Evans, seeing that the Boers were lying in wait at this spot, where the ground kept dropping so sharply that their presence could not be detected, and that part of a company of the Gordon Highlanders were rapidly advancing into the same trap as he had fallen into, managed, in spite of his wound, to wave his helmet and shout to the Gordons, preventing them advancing to probably the same fate as he had met.
Lieut. Field, seeing that his patrol had got into a tight place, went forward to their aid, and finding Evans severely wounded, endeavoured to get him away out of fire, but in doing so he was hit himself in the shoulder, and had difficulty in crawling away under the heavy fire he had provoked' (The 18th Hussars in South Africa refers)
Three Victoria Crosses were won at Van Wyk's Vlei on 22.8.1900 and Private Evans was recommended for an award by General Buller to Lord Roberts. Oddly, he did not receive recognition for his gallant act, though backed by strong references from his Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel E.C. Knox:
'I forward herewith a statement from Lieut. and Adjutant Shee, 19th Hussars, concerning No. 4480 Private Albert Evans, of the Regiment under my command.
Private Evans was employed as a scout yesterday in front of his Squadron "C", and was wounded severely while reconnoitring near a farm. I have the honour to request that you will bring the conduct and behaviour of this man to the notice of the General Officer Commanding for favourable consideration.'
Shee's statement read:
'With reference to your memorandum of today, asking me to give the particulars in the case of Private Evans, 18th Hussars, I have the honour to state that yesterday afternoon, the 21st of August, I was walking across the plateau above the farm, two miles east of this camp, and met a company of Gordon Highlanders advancing to the edge of the ridge overlooking the farm. About 500 yards off, on the left flank of the Gordons, a man was waving his helmet whilst lying on the ground, and the officer commanding the party asked me to find out what he wanted, and I did so. I found the man to be a Private of the 18th Hussars, who was wounded in two places. He told me that he had waved his helmet in order to attract attention, and let the Gordons know that the enemy were holding the farm (about 400 yards from the ridge), and that if they, the Gordons, advanced to the edge they would show up against the sky line with no cover. I galloped back and told the officer of the Gordons before mentioned, whose name I do not know, and then went back and brought Private Evans in to the doctor. He informed me on the way that one of his patrol had been killed close to the farm, and that he had crawled away over the ridge and lay there until the Gordons advanced' (War Office records and The 18th Hussars in South Africa refer).