Davids (J W)

Victoria Cross Recipient for the Second (1899-1902) Boer War. Albrecht was born in Burghersdorp, South Africa; an orphan, he was raised by a Mr. Shorten and was employed before the war as a horse-breaker. He was awarded the VC for action at a position called Wagon Hill during the Boers? siege of Ladysmith, Natal, January 6, 1900. The siege had begun on November 2, 1899, and by early January 1900 some of the younger Boer officers were insisting that a serious attempt be made to take the town. The Boers attacked at 2:30 a.m. on the 6th. Around noon they intensified their attack on the British Wagon Hill position. From Albrecht?s citation: "On 6 January 1900 on Wagon Hill, (Ladysmith) South Africa, Lieutenant R.J.T Digby-Jones of the Royal Engineers and Trooper Albrecht led the force which re-occupied the top of the hill at a critical moment, just as the three foremost attacking Boers reached it. The leader was shot by the lieutenant and the two others by Trooper Albrecht." Albrecht and Digby-Jones were buried together in the same grave. Albrecht?s medals are on display at the Museum of Military History, Johannesburg. His photograph shows he was a "coloured" man.