The Book of the V.C. / A record of the deeds of heroism for which the Victoria Cross has been bestowed, from its institution in 1857 to the present time

by A. L. Haydon

There was a hill to be taken, on which the enemy had mustered in large numbers, and at the word of command two companies of the “Gay Gordons,” with Major White at their head, breasted the slope and raced up. The major was easily first. Leaving the rest to follow, he tore ahead and bearded the Afghans single-handed, shooting their leader dead with his revolver. This act brought him high praise from General Roberts, who went over the ground with him next day and noted the difficulties that had to be encountered.

On the second occasion Major White was with his Gordons at Candahar, assisting in the rout of Ayoub Khan. At an important stage of the battle a desperate stand was made by the Afghans at the Baba Wali Kotal, and it became necessary to storm the position, or the wavering enemy would have time to rally.

“Now, 92nd,” cried their leader, “just one charge more to close the business!” The Gordons answered with a shout, and accompanied by the 2nd Ghurkas and 23rd Pioneers they streamed up the hill to carry it with bayonets. As always, Major White was well in front. He was the first to reach the guns, the next man being Sepoy Inderbir Lama, who placed his rifle on one of them and exclaimed proudly, “Captured in the name of the 2nd Ghurkas!”

That charge did “close the business.” The Afghans broke and fled, and the troops went on to capture Ayoub Khan’s enormous camp with his artillery, thirty-two pieces in all, among them being found two of our Horse Artillery guns that had been taken at Maiwand in July.

I cannot close this chapter without telling how Padre Adams won his V.C. The only clergyman to have received the decoration, he stands in a unique position, although, as I have said already, at least one other Army chaplain deserved it.

The Rev. James William Adams, B.A. (to give him his full title), was attached to the Cabul Field Force and marched up to the Amir’s capital with the troops when they went to avenge Cavagnari’s death. Liking to be always at the front when any fighting was going on, he acted as aide-de-camp to General Roberts on several occasions, making himself very useful. It was in this capacity that he was accompanying Roberts when, on December 11th, 1879, the main body of the force encountered Mahommed Jan’s army near Sherpur and, owing to a miscarriage of plans, was obliged to beat a temporary retreat.

In the retiring movement some of the guns were in danger of falling into the Afghans’ hands, so a troop of the 9th Lancers, with a few of the 14th Bengal Lancers, made a gallant attempt to hold the enemy in check. The charge was brilliant but disastrous. Men and horses went down like ninepins, many of them falling into a deep ditch, or nullah, in which one or two of the guns had already come to grief.

Seeing a wounded, dismounted man of the 9th staggering towards him, Adams jumped off his charger and tried to lift the poor fellow into the saddle, but the animal, a very valuable mare, took fright and bolted. Still supporting the lancer, the chaplain helped him on his way to the rear, where some of his comrades took him in charge.

Returning at once to the front, Adams observed two more men of the 9th in the ditch who were in difficulties. Their horses had rolled over on to them, and they were struggling vainly to get free. The advancing Afghans were now pretty close, and General Roberts called out to the chaplain to look after himself; but the “fighting parson,” as his men called him, was a true hero. Leaping down into the ditch without a moment’s hesitation, he splashed his way through the mud and water to the lancers’ rescue. A few strong pulls of his brawny arms (he was an unusually powerful man) quickly released the imprisoned men, and he had them safe on the top of the bank ere the first of the Afghans had reached the nullah.

Padre Adams had long been the idol of the men to whom he ministered, and there was general rejoicing in the Army when his name in due course appeared in the Gazette. There was keen regret, too, some years later when he bade farewell to the service he loved, and returned home to settle down in a peaceful Norfolk rectory.