William Dolman Bees

He crossed enemy fire to bring water to his wounded comrades

William Dolman Bees was born at Midsomer Norton, Somerset, on 12 September 1871. He joined the Derbyshire Regiment in 1890 and served in India, including the Punjab Frontier and Tirah campaigns. He subsequently went to South Africa with the Sherwood Foresters during the Boer War.

On 30 September 1901 at Moedwil, most of the men in his Maxim-gun detachment became casualties. Hearing wounded comrades calling for water, Private Bees crossed heavily swept ground to a stream held by the Boers, about five hundred yards away. He returned carrying a kettle of water despite passing close to enemy positions; bullets struck the kettle. His courage earned the Victoria Cross. He was promoted corporal and received the decoration from Lord Kitchener in July 1902.

After discharge that September he married Sarah Freeman and raised two children. He worked at a gasworks and as a miner. During the First World War he repeatedly re-enlisted despite ill health, serving with the Sherwood Foresters, Durham Light Infantry and Army Service Corps. Later he worked for Coalville council. He died at Coalville on 20 June 1938 and was buried there.

Official Victoria Cross citation

Private Bees was one of the Maxim-gun detachment, which at Moedwil, on the 30th September, 1901, had six men hit out of nine. Hearing his wounded comrades asking for water, he went forward, under a heavy fire, to a spruit held by Boers about 500 yards ahead of the gun, and brought back a kettle full of water. In going and returning he had to pass within 100 yards of some rocks also held by Boers, and the kettle which he was carrying was hit by several bullets.

(The London Gazette of 17 December 1901, Numb. 27388, p. 8915)