29 July 2012

Victoria Cross: G. G. E. Wylly and J. H. Bisdee

GUY GEORGE EGERTON WYLLY

Lieutenant, Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

Born: 17 February 1880, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Died: 9 January 1962, Camberley, Surrey

Citation: On the 1st September, 1900, near Warm Bad, Lieutenant Wylly was with the advanced scouts of a foraging party. They were passing through a narrow gorge, very rocky and thickly wooded, when the enemy in force suddenly opened fire at short range from hidden cover, wounding six out of the party of eight, including Lieutenant Wylly. That Officer, seeing that one of his men was badly wounded in the leg, and that his horse was shot, went back to the man's assistance, made him take his (Lieutenant Wylly's) horse, and opened fire from behind a rock to cover the retreat of the others, at the imminent risk of being cut off himself. Colonel T. E. Hickman, D.S.O., considers that the gallant conduct of Lieutenant Wylly saved Corporal Brown from being killed or captured, and that his subsequent action in firing to cover the retreat was "instrumental in saving others of his men from death or capture."

[London Gazette issue 27249 dated 23 Nov 1900, published 23 Nov 1900.]


JOHN HUTTON BISDEE

Private, Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen

Born: 28 September 1869, Melton Mowbray, Tasmania, Australia
Died: 14 January 1930, Jericho, Tasmania, Australia

Citation: On the 1st September, 1900, Private Bisdee was one of an advanced scouting party passing through a rocky defile near Warm Bad, Transvaal. The enemy, who were in ambuscade, opened a sudden fire at close range, and six out of the party of eight were hit, including two Officers. The horse of one of the wounded Officers broke away and bolted. Private Bisdee gave the Officer his stirrup leather to help him out of action, but finding that the Officer was too badly wounded to go on, Private Bisdee dismounted, placed him on his horse, mounted behind him, and conveyed him out of range.
This act was performed under a very hot fire, and in a very exposed place.

[London Gazette issue 27246 dated 13 Nov 1900, published 13 Nov 1900.]

16 July 2012

I side with....

Election year again (already?) and therefore time for another of those polls to see which presidential candidates I agree with. I like this one because it lets you give more than just Yes/No answers.

Mitt Romney - 90% on domestic policy, foreign policy, economic, healthcare, immigration, and environmental issues.
Ron Paul - 66% on domestic policy, immigration, social, and environmental issues.
Barack Obama - 65% on foreign policy, economic, science, and social issues.
Gary Johnson - 63% on domestic policy, healthcare, and environmental issues.
Virgil Goode - 30% on domestic policy and healthcare issues.
Jimmy McMillan - 19% on no major issues.
Jill Stein - 18% on no major issues.
Stewart Alexander - 4% on no major issues.
Connecticut Voters - 44% on social issues.
American Voters - 59% on social and environmental issues.

90% Republican
65% Democratic
64% Libertarian
18% Green

Immigration: I side the most with Mitt Romney and Ron Paul on 94% of immigration issues.
Science: I side the most with Barack Obama on 80% of science issues.
Healthcare: I side the most with Mitt Romney on 100% of healthcare issues.
Domestic Policy: I side the most with Mitt Romney on 95% of domestic policy issues.
Foreign Policy: I side the most with Mitt Romney on 90% of foreign policy issues.
The Economy: I side the most with Mitt Romney on 91% of economic issues.
Social: I side the most with Ron Paul on 92% of social issues.
The Environment: I side the most with Gary Johnson, Ron Paul, and Mitt Romney on 96% of environmental issues.

15 July 2012

Victoria Cross: Harrington, Jennings, Park, Laughnan and McInnes

HASTINGS EDWARD HARRINGTON

Lieutenant, Bengal Artillery

Born: 9 November 1832, Hinton Parva, Wiltshire
Died: 20 July 1861, Agra, India


EDWARD JENNINGS

Rough-Rider, Bengal Artillery

Born: 1820, Ballinrobe, County Mayo, Ireland
Died: 10 May 1889, North Shields, Northumberland


JAMES PARK

Gunner, Bengal Artillery

Born: 1835, Glasgow, Scotland
Died: 14 June 1858, Lucknow, India


THOMAS LAUGHNAN

Gunner, Bengal Artillery

Born: August 1824, Kilmadaugh, County Galway
Died: 23 July 1864, County Galway, Ireland


HUGH McINNES

Gunner, Bengal Artillery

Born: October 1835, Glasgow, Scotland
Died: 7 December 1879, Glasgow, Scotland

Joint Citation: Elected respectively, under the 13th clause of the Royal Warrant of the 29th of January, 1856, by the Officers and non-commissioned officers generally, and by the private soldiers of each troop or battery, for conspicuous gallantry at the relief of Lucknow, from the 14th to the 22nd of November, 1857

[London Gazette issue 22212 dated 24 Dec 1858, published 24 Dec 1858.]

08 July 2012

Victoria Cross: M. C. Dixon

MATTHEW CHARLES DIXON

Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel, Royal Regiment of Artillery

Born: 5 February 1821, Avranches, Brittany, France
Died: 8 January 1905, Pembury, Kent

Citation: On the 17th April, 1855, about 2 P.M., when the battery he commanded was blown up by a shell from the enemy, which burst in the Magazine, destroyed the parapets, killed and wounded ten men, disabled five guns, and covered a sixth with earth; for most gallantly re-opening fire with the remaining gun before the enemy had ceased cheering from their parapets (on which they had mounted) and fighting it until sunset, despite the heavy concentrated fire of the enemy's batteries, and the ruined state of his own.

[London Gazette issue 21971 dated 24 Feb 1857, published 24 Feb 1857.]

04 July 2012

Words of wisdom

July 4. Statistics show that we lose more fools on this day than in all the other days of the year put together. This proves, by the number left in stock, that one Fourth of July per year is now inadequate, the country has grown so.
-- Mark Twain
The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson