Never Since Inkerman Had We Had So Grim A Soldier's
Battle.
The company officers were superb.
Captain Muriel of the
Middlesex was shot through the check while giving a cigarette to a
wounded man, continued to lead his company, and was shot again
through the brain. Scott Moncrieff of the same regiment was only
disabled by the fourth bullet which hit him. Grenfell of
Thorneycroft's was shot, and exclaimed, 'That's all right. It's not
much.' A second wound made him remark, 'I can get on all right.'
The third killed him. Ross of the Lancasters, who had crawled from
a sickbed, was found dead upon the furthest crest. Young Murray of
the Scottish Rifles, dripping from five wounds, still staggered
about among his men. And the men were worthy of such officers. 'No
retreat! No retreat!' they yelled when some of the front line were
driven in. In all regiments there are weaklings and hang-backs, and
many a man was wandering down the reverse slopes when he should
have been facing death upon the top, but as a body British troops
have never stood firm through a more fiery ordeal than on that
fatal hill. . .
The position was so bad that no efforts of officers or men could do
anything to mend it. They were in a murderous dilemma. If they fell
back for cover the Boer riflemen would rush the position. If they
held their ground this horrible shell fire must continue, which
they had no means of answering.
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