Beschreibung:

The celebrated Colenso Victoria Cross group to Lieutenant-Colonel H.N. Schofield, Royal Field Artillery, together with his original unpublished Boer War Diary VICTORIA CROSS, reverse of suspension bar engraved (Captain H.N. Schofield, Royal Field Artillery), reverse centre of the cross dated '15th Decr.1899'; QUEEN'S SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1902, 6 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing's Nek, Belfast (Major, D.S.O., R.A.)' 1914-15 STAR (Lt. Col.); CORONATION 1902, silver; CORONATION 1911, these last two nnamed as issued, the group mounted for wearing, light contact marks, otherwise gene ally good very fine (7) Footnote The lot is sold with the following original items: a.The recipient's original leather bound pocket diary kept throughout his service in South Africa. Handwritten with one or two later additions, it covers the period 14th Oct ber 1899 to 17th October 1900. Approximately 120pp. Never before offered for sale with the Victoria Cross group. b.Royal Artillery Officer's sword, 1822 pattern with post 1855 blade, with subsequent alterations, etched with royal arms, regimental motto and device, and further embellished with the recipient's coat of arms (Wilkinson No. 25721) c.Contemporary leather bound album which contains a substantial quantity of related newspaper cuttings, the greater part dealing with the V.C. action and, more importantly, the famous campaign to have Schofield's D.S.O. raised to a V.C. V.C., London Gazette, 30 August, 1901. 'At Colenso on 15 December 1899, when the detachments serving the guns of the 14th and 66th Batteries, Royal Field Artillery, had all been killed, wounded or driven from them by infantry fire at close range, Captain Schofield went out when the first attempt was made to extricate the guns, and assisted in withdrawing the two guns that were saved' [ In consequence of the above, the appointment of this Officer to the Distinguished Service Order, which was notified in the London Gazette on 19 April 1901, is cancelled]. Harry Norton Schofield was born on 29 January 1865 and entered the Royal Artillery via the R.M.A. Woolwich in 1884. Schofield was a keen polo player and was renowned for his impressive string of ponies. He was promoted Captain in 1893 and appointed Aide-deCamp to General Sir Redvers Bullet, V.C., G.C.B., K.C.M.G., commanding 1st Army Corps, in 1899. Schofield accompanied the General to South Africa aboard the steamer Dunottar Castle, whose passengers included the young War Correspondent Winston Churchill Buller and his Staff proceeded to Natal where a force of 20,000 troops and five Field Batteries awaited, the intention being to cross the heavily defended line of the Tugela River and advance to relieve Ladysmith. Hildyard's 6th Infantry Brigade supported by the 14th and 66th Batteries of IV Brigade, R.F.A., and six Naval 12 pounder guns under Colonel Long, R.A., held the centre of the British position. The objective of 15 December was to cross the Tugela by the bridge at Colenso and dislodge the Boers beyond the river. Colonel Long, who had been responsible for the disaster to an armoured train a month before, had a theory that artillery was most effectively used at close quarters, or, in his own words, 'the only way to smash the beggars is to rush in at 'em'. Early in the action Long employed his theory bringing his guns into a dangerously exposed position not more than 1000 yards from the enemy. No sooner were the guns unlimbered than an enemy shell burst among them hailing the onset of a continuous and murderous fire. After half an hour of firing on the Boers at Fort Wylie both Batteries had run short of ammunition and the little they had left was kept to cover the expected advance of 6 Brigade. Casualties had been severe and nearly all the officers including Colonel Long, /Captain H.N. Schofield, the Hero of Colenso who had been shot through the liver, were wounded. The surviving men and officers withdrew to take cover in a don