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 | |
|---|---|
 Price-Davies depicted on a cigarette card | |
| Born | 30 June 1878 Chirbury, Shropshire |
| Died | 26 December 1965 (aged 87) Corndon, Shropshire |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1898–1930 1940–1944 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | King's Royal Rifle Corps Home Guard |
| Commands | 113th Brigade 145th (South Midland) Brigade |
| Battles / wars | Second Boer War First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Victoria 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) Commander of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Italy) |
Early life
editPrice-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
editPrice-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, where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in April 1901.[3]
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.[4]
Price-Davies was promoted to captain in his regiment on 7 January 1902, while still seconded with Mounted Infantry in South Africa.[5][6] He stayed there until after the end of the war, leaving Cape Town on the SS Orient in October 1902.[7]
During the First World War Price-Davies served on the Western Front and Italy,[8] becoming a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel[9] and a temporary Brigadier-General. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in January 1918[10] and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in January 1921.[11] He was also made an Officer of the French Legion of Honour[12] and Commander of the Italian Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus.[13]
He retired with the honorary rank of major general in 1930.[14] In retirement he joined the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms[15] and served as Battalion Commander in the Home Guard from 1940 to 1945.[8]
Dying in 1965 aged 87, 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.[8]
Bibliography
edit- Robinson, Peter (2013). The Letters of Major General Price-Davies VC, CB, CMG, DSO: From Captain to Major General, 1914-18. Spellmount. ISBN 978-0752487366.
References
edit- ^ Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry. Burke's Peerage. 1875. p. 331. Retrieved 15 March 2016.
- ^ Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, Armorial families : a directory of gentlemen of coat-armour, p260
- ^ "No. 27306". The London Gazette. 19 April 1901. p. 2701.
- ^ "No. 27381". The London Gazette. 29 November 1901. p. 8409.
- ^ "No. 27426". The London Gazette. 18 April 1902. p. 2603.
- ^ "No. 27432". The London Gazette. 9 May 1902. p. 3092.
- ^ "The Army in South Africa - Troops returning home". The Times. No. 36905. London. 22 October 1902. p. 9.
- ^ a b c "Llewellyn Alberic Emilius Price-Davies". victoriacrossonline.co.uk. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
- ^ "No. 29438". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 1916. p. 569.
- ^ "No. 30450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1917. p. 4.
- ^ "No. 32178". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1921. p. 4.
- ^ "No. 13649". The Edinburgh Gazette. 9 November 1920. p. 2402.
- ^ "No. 32801". The London Gazette. 2 March 1923. p. 1493.
- ^ "No. 33597". The London Gazette. 15 April 1930. p. 2420.
- ^ "No. 33961". The London Gazette. 18 July 1933. p. 4800.