▁for ▁the ▁latter . ▁Tow se ▁was ▁mentioned ▁in ▁the ▁des patch ▁from ▁Lord ▁M eth uen ▁describing ▁the ▁battle . ▁ ▁Details ▁on ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross ▁Tow se ▁was ▁ 3 5 ▁years ▁old , ▁and ▁a ▁captain ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion , ▁The ▁Gordon ▁High land ers ▁ ▁during ▁the ▁Second ▁Bo er ▁War ▁when ▁the ▁following ▁de eds ▁led ▁to ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross : ▁ ▁The ▁shot ▁that ▁blind ed ▁Tow se ▁was ▁fired ▁by ▁the ▁Russian ▁volunte er ▁Y ev gen y ▁Maxim ov ▁who ▁was ▁struggling ▁with ▁Tow se ▁during ▁the ▁action ▁on ▁Mount ▁Th aba . ▁Queen ▁Victoria , ▁it ▁is ▁said , ▁shed ▁tears ▁when ▁pin ning ▁the ▁decor ation . ▁Poss ibly ▁at ▁her ▁instance , ▁The ▁War ▁Office ▁awarded ▁Tow se ▁with ▁a ▁special ▁w ounds ▁p ension ▁of ▁£ 3 0 0 ▁a ▁year . ▁ ▁Further ▁information ▁ ▁He ▁retired ▁from ▁the ▁army ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 9 0 2 . ▁His ▁V C ▁action ▁left ▁him ▁blind ▁and ▁he ▁spent ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁in ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁blind . ▁He ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War ▁as ▁a ▁staff ▁officer ▁working ▁with ▁the ▁wounded ▁in ▁hospital . ▁Tow se ▁was ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁British ▁and ▁Foreign ▁Bl ind ▁Association ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁gave ▁his ▁house ▁as ▁its ▁first ▁re h abil itation ▁centre . ▁He ▁also ▁founded ▁the ▁British ▁W ire less ▁for ▁the ▁Bl ind ▁Fund ▁in