Alan Richard Hill
Encyclopedia
Alan Richard Hill VC
(born Northallerton
12 July 1859 - 21 April 1944) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
in the 2nd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, British Army
during the First Boer War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 28 January 1881 at Laing's Nek
, South Africa
, when the retreat was ordered, Lieutenant Hill remained behind and tried to carry out of action another lieutenant who was lying on the ground severely wounded. He was unable to lift the man into the saddle and carried him in his arms until he was shot dead. Lieutenant Hill then brought another wounded man out of action on his horse and afterwards returned and rescued another. All this was done under very heavy fire.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(born Northallerton
Northallerton
Northallerton is an affluent market town and civil parish in the Hambleton district of North Yorkshire, England. It lies in the Vale of Mowbray and at the northern end of the Vale of York. It has a population of 15,741 according to the 2001 census...
12 July 1859 - 21 April 1944) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Details
He was 21 years old, and a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the 2nd Battalion, The Northamptonshire Regiment, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First Boer War
First Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 28 January 1881 at Laing's Nek
Laing's Nek
Laing's Nek, or Lang's Nek is a pass through the Drakensberg, South Africa, immediately north of Majuba, at at an elevation of 5400 to . It is the lowest part of a ridge which slopes from Majuba to the Buffalo River, and before the opening of the railway in 1891 the road over the nek was the main...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, when the retreat was ordered, Lieutenant Hill remained behind and tried to carry out of action another lieutenant who was lying on the ground severely wounded. He was unable to lift the man into the saddle and carried him in his arms until he was shot dead. Lieutenant Hill then brought another wounded man out of action on his horse and afterwards returned and rescued another. All this was done under very heavy fire.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (North Yorkshire)