EDDY – GEORGE ALBERT

Note: IN HIS BOOK “CAMPAIGN PICTURES OF THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1900“, A.G.HALES, A WAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE DAILY NEWS, TELLS THE STORY, AS TOLD BY A YOUNG BOER WHOSE FATHER HAD BEEN KILLED IN THE SAME BATTLE, OF THE BRAVERY OF MAJOR  EDDY. “OUR FIELD CORNET GAVE THE ORDER TO CEASE FIRING, AND CALLED ON THEM TO THROW DOWN THEIR RIFLES OR DIE. THEN ONE OF THE BIG OFFICERS-A GREAT ROUGH-LOOKING MAN, WITH A VOICE LIKE A BULL, ROARED OUT, ‘FORWARD AUSTRALIA!-NO SURRENDER!’ THOSE WERE THE LAST WORDS HE EVER UTTERED, FOR A MAN ON MY RIGHT PUT A BULLET CLEAN BETWEEN HIS EYES, AND HE FELL FORWARD DEAD. WE LATER FOUND OUT THAT HE WAS MAJOR EDDY OF THE VICTORIAN RIFLES. HE WAS AS BRAVE AS A LION, BUT A MAUSER BULLET WILL STOP THE BRAVEST.”