Llewelyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies

Major General Llewelyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies, VC, CB, CMG, DSO (30 June 1878 – 26 December 1965) was a senior British Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Llewelyn Price-Davies
Born(1878-06-30)30 June 1878
Chirbury, Shropshire
Died26 December 1965(1965-12-26) (aged 87)
Corndon, Shropshire
Buried
St Andrew's Churchyard, Sonning
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1898–1930
1940–1944
RankMajor General
UnitKing's Royal Rifle Corps
Home Guard
Commands held113th Brigade
145th (South Midland) Brigade
Battles/warsSecond Boer War
First World War
Second World War
AwardsVictoria Cross
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches
Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)

Early life

Price-Davies was born at Chirbury, Shropshire, in 1878, third son of Lewis Richard Price of Marrington Hall. The Davies family were of Welsh descent with an unbroken male line to the 13th-century noble Cynric Efell, Lord of Eglwys Egle.[1][2]

Military career

Price-Davies was commissioned a second lieutenant in The King's Royal Rifle Corps on 23 February 1898. He was promoted to lieutenant on 21 October 1899, and seconded for service in South Africa during the Second Boer War.

Price-Davies was 23 years old, and a lieutenant in The King's Royal Rifle Corps during the Second Boer War when the following deed took place at Blood River Poort for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross:

At Blood River Poort, on the 17th September, 1901, when the Boers had overwhelmed the right of the British Column, and some 400 of them were galloping round the flank and rear of the guns, riding up to the drivers (who were trying to get the guns away) and calling upon them to surrender, Lieutenant Price Davies, hearing an order to fire upon the charging Boers, at once drew his revolver and dashed in among them, firing at them in a most gallant and desperate attempt to rescue the guns. He was immediately shot and knocked off his horse, but was not mortally wounded, although he had ridden to what seemed to be almost certain death without a moment's hesitation.[3]

Price-Davies was promoted to captain in his regiment on 7 January 1902, while still seconded with Mounted Infantry in South Africa.[4][5] He stayed there until after the end of the war, leaving Cape Town on the SS Orient in October 1902.[6]

Price-Davies later achieved the rank of major general. His grave and memorial are at St Andrew's churchyard in Sonning, Berkshire. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum in Winchester, England.

References
  1. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry. Burke's Peerage. 1875. p. 331. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  2. Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour, p260
  3. "No. 27381". The London Gazette. 29 November 1901. p. 8409.
  4. "No. 27426". The London Gazette. 18 April 1902. p. 2603.
  5. "No. 27432". The London Gazette. 9 May 1902. p. 3092.
  6. "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times (36905). London. 22 October 1902. p. 9.
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