WARD, CHARLES,
Private, was born 10 July 1877, at Leeds, the son of Mr George Ward. He was
educated at Primrose Hill School, Leeds. On 29 April 1897, he enlisted in
the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry, and served with this battalion
for two years, joining the 2nd Battalion at Wynberg, Cape Colony. Owing to
the severe wound he received, he has only two clasps to his South African
Medal, for Cape Colony and Free State. When he won the Victoria Cross his
company and commanding officers were Captain Wittycombe and Lieutenant
Colonel Barter, CB, with Major-General A H Paget, CVO, as Chief. On his
discharge from the service the citizens of Leeds presented him with a
testimonial and £600, together with a commemorative medal in gold by Mr
William Owen. His Victoria Cross was gazetted 28 September 1900: "Charles
Ward, Private, 2nd Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry. Date
of Act of Bravery: 26 June 1900. On the 26th June,1900, at Lindley, a
picquet of the Yorkshire Light Infantry was surrounded on three sides by
about 500 Boers at close quarters. The two officers were wounded, and all
but six of the men were killed or wounded. Private Ward then volunteered to
take a message asking for reinforcements to the signalling station, about
150 yards in the rear of the post. His offer was at first refused, owing to
the practical certainty of his being shot; but on his insisting, he was
allowed to go. He got across untouched through a storm of shots from each
flank, and having delivered his message, he voluntarily retired from a place
of absolute safety and recrossed the fire-swept ground to assure his
commanding officer that the message had been sent. On this occasion he was
severely wounded. But for this gallant action the post would certainly have
been captured".
