Penn Symons
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir William Penn Symons KCB (1843-1899) was a British Army
officer who was mortally wounded as he commanded his forces at the Battle of Talana Hill
during the Second Boer War
. Whilst his forces won the battle they had to abandon their position and fall back to Ladysmith
. Symons and the more severely wounded had to be left and he died as a prisoner of war
of the Boers. A monument to him was raised in Victoria Park, Saltash
.
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...
officer who was mortally wounded as he commanded his forces at the Battle of Talana Hill
Battle of Talana Hill
The Battle of Talana Hill, also known as the Battle of Glencoe, was the first major clash of the Second Boer War. A frontal attack by British infantry supported by artillery drove Boers from a hilltop position, but the British suffered heavy casualties in the process, including their commanding...
during the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
. Whilst his forces won the battle they had to abandon their position and fall back to Ladysmith
Ladysmith
Ladysmith is the name of several places:* Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada* Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States* Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, largest settlement with this name* Ladysmith, New South Wales, Australia...
. Symons and the more severely wounded had to be left and he died as a prisoner of war
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
of the Boers. A monument to him was raised in Victoria Park, Saltash
Saltash
Saltash is a town and civil parish in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. It has a population of 14,964. It lies in the south east of Cornwall, facing Plymouth over the River Tamar. It was in the Caradon district until March 2009 and is known as "the gateway to Cornwall". Saltash means ash tree by...
.