ALBRECHT, H,
Trooper, "was", says Sir Ian Hamilton, "a very fine young fellow and very
good looking at that. His uncle was in command of the artillery of the
Orange Free State". 'The Times History of the War in South Africa' (Vol
III, page 197) says: "an Hamilton, Wallnutt, Captain Fitzgerald, Sergeant
Lindsay, and Trooper Albrecht, ILH, Gunner Sims, RN, and others threw
themselves against the stream of panic-stricken men and checked their
flight. Then they sprang forward to the crest. A dozen Boers had leapt on
to the summit. But in the teeth of a hail of bullets from the Imperial
Light Horse fort, 200 yards away, all but three hung back. The three, De
Villiers, De Jager and Gert Wessels, rushed forward. There was a wild race
for the gun-pits. Hamilton reached the 4.7 emplacement first, and, leaning
his arm on the sandbag parapet, fired his revolver at the nearest Boer.
Almost immediately Albrecht fired from outside the pit, while, at the same
moment, from the other gun-pit rose the head and shoulders of Digby Jones
and of Corporal Hockaday, RE, each firing at his man. De Villiers and De
Jager fell dead against the wall of the 4.7 gun-pit, Wessels at the lower
emplacement. Miller-Wallnutt fell, shot through the head, as he reached the
4.7 gun-pit: the brave Albrecht a second later". Sir A Conan Doyle says, in
his 'Great Boer War' (page 228): "There has been no better fighting in our
time than that upon Waggon Hill on that January morning, and no better
fighters than the Imperial Light Horsemen who joined the centre of the
defence. Here, as at Elandslaagte, they proved themselves worthy to stand
in line with the crack regiments of the British Army". Trooper Albrecht was
awarded the Victoria Cross by King Edward, for which he would have been
recommended had he lived. London Gazette, 8 August 1902: "Robert James
Thomas Digby Jones, Lieutenant, Royal Engineers, and No 459, Trooper H
Albrecht, Imperial Light Horse. Would have been recommended for the
Victoria Cross had they survived, on account of their having during the
attack on Waggon Hill (Ladysmith) on 6 January 1900, displayed conspicuous
bravery and gallant conduct in leading the force which reoccupied the top of
the hill at a critical moment just as the three foremost attacking Boers
reached it, the leader being shot by Lieutenant Jones and the two others by
Albrecht". The Victoria Cross was given to Sergeant Albrecht's
representatives in accordance with the regulations of 8 August 1902.
VC, QSA (2) Eland, DofL. South African Military Museum.
