Peter Robinson - Spellmount Military Memoirs: The Letters of Major General Price Davies VC, CB, CMG, DSO: From Captain to Major General, 1914-18

These letters and diary entries reveal a unique testimony to one mans journey through the First World War, and a great insight into the changes that took place within the British Army at that time. The officer corps of 1914 was made up of people who were very familiar with each other, or, as the French might say, pays de connaissance. The letters reveal a great deal about the war into which they were thrust, seen through the words and thoughts of an officer steeped in the culture of the Old Army Major General Llewellyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies.

I have shown his career path up to the beginning of the First World War and his personal background in order to lay a foundation for what is to follow. The correspondence is almost entirely to his wife, Miss Eileen Geraldine Edith ne Wilson, who was from an Anglo-Irish family of Currygrane, Edgworthstone, Ireland. They married on 6 August 1906. She was the sister of the future Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson, who was later gunned down by Irish Republicans outside his house at 36 Eaton Place in London on Thursday 22 June 1922.

Major General Price-Davies VC went to the same school in Marlborough as his brother-in-law, and whereas Wilson joined the Rifle Brigade, Price-Davies entered Kings Royal Rifle Corps. Price-Davies was also a student of Wilsons when he attended the Staff College Course at Camberley during 190809. Both served in South Africa, and were at the War Office when the First World War started.

I have been faithful in my rendition of both the diary entries and letters, and have not altered the text or changed the punctuation. The letters are addressed to his wife, unless otherwise marked. I have tried to identify as many people mentioned therein as possible, and cross-referenced them in endnotes. I have done my best with the handwriting, but on occasion have been defeated, so any errors are mine and mine alone. I am grateful to Colonel Nick Lock OBE for information regarding officers of Royal Welch Fusiliers who served in the Great War. Finally, Major General Price-Davies VC was known by his contemporaries as Mary; I have been unable to find the reason for this nickname or when it began, but it is in keeping with the period as so many officers did have curious epithets, often relating to their schooldays or service training.

Relief column for Ladysmith

Present at the Battle of Colenso, 15 December 1899

Served in operations in the Natal, 1724 January 1900

Present at Spion Kop, 24 January 1900

Served operations in Natal, 57 February 1900 (present at Val Kranz)

Served operations in Natal, 1425 February 1900 (present at Tugela Heights & Pieters Hill)

Served in operations Natal, MarchJune 1900 (present at Laings Nek)

Transvaal, JanuaryAugust 1901

Served operations in Zululand Natal frontier, September 1901

Served Transvaal and Orange River, AprilMay 1902

Price-Davies was Mentioned in Despatches (MID) twice (London Gazette (LG) 20 January 1900 and 8 February 1901). He was also awarded the DSO for his services during the conflict (LG 19 April 1901).

During the latter part of the war, while serving in the mounted infantry, Price-Davies was wounded slightly on 17 Sept 1901. It was at Blood River Poort, a river southwards and to the west of Schurweberg in Natal, where General Botha defeated the column under the command of Lieutenant Colonel H. de la P. Gough. The citation for the award of his VC reads:

At Blood River Poort, South Africa on the 17th September 1901, when the Boers overwhelmed the right of the British column, and some four hundred of them galloping round the flank and rear of the two 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 upon 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 like certain death without a moments hesitation.

(LG 29 November 1901)

Although he was severely wounded on 26 January 1902, he recovered to attend the presentation by Lord Kitchener on 8 June 1902, a fine day in Pretoria, in front of the government buildings:

Those to get the V.Cs are on the left of it amongst the houses. The square is crowded with troops & civilians & all the windows are occupied. First of all 12 nurses get the Red Cross, then I have to go up leading the VCs Standing in front of K my deeds are read out & the K puts my VC on & rams the pin into me.

LG 5 March 1900. Hugh Arthur Lewis Price-Davies serving in 14th Middlesex Regt was given permission to add Davies to the surname; his father had petitioned for this change in 1880. This officer also served as a captain in the Egyptian Campaign with the RWF (Royal Welch Fusiliers). Captain Charles Stafford Price-Davies served in KRRC (Kings Royal Rifle Corps) in France and Belgium, and later in Macedonia and Turkey. He was awarded an MC.