List of Second Boer War Victoria Cross recipients

The Victoria Cross (VC) is a British military honour awarded to 78 members of the British Armed Forces for action during the Second Boer War. The Victoria Cross is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of some Commonwealth countries and previous British Empire territories. The VC was introduced in Great Britain on 29 January 1856 by Queen Victoria to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War, and takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. The first ceremony was held on 26 June 1857, when Queen Victoria invested 62 of the 111 Crimean recipients in Hyde Park.[1]

A painting of the Relief of Ladysmith depicting Sir George Stuart White greeting Major Hubert Gough on 28 February 1900, as portrayed in a painting by John Henry Frederick Bacon.

The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 to 31 May 1902, between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics of the Orange Free State and the South African Republic (Transvaal Republic).[2] After a set of failed negotiations over foreigner land rights in the territories, led by Joseph Chamberlain, both sides issued ultimatums. When the ultimatums were rejected, war was declared. The war had three distinct phases. First, the Boers mounted pre-emptive strikes into British-held territory in Natal and the Cape Colony, besieging the British garrisons of Ladysmith, Mafeking and Kimberley. The Boers then won a series of tactical victories against a failed British counteroffensive to relieve the three sieges. The second phase began after British forces under Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, launched counteroffensives with increased troop numbers. After Natal and the Cape Colony were secure, the British were able to invade the Transvaal and the republic's capital, Pretoria, was captured in June 1900. The third phase began in March 1900, when the Boers engaged a protracted hard-fought guerrilla warfare against the British forces. In an effort to cut off supplies to the raiders, the British, now under the leadership of Lord Kitchener, responded with a scorched earth policy of destroying Boer farms and moving civilians into concentration camps.[3]

The British Government had expected the campaign to be over within months, and the protracted war became increasingly unpopular especially after revelations about the conditions in the concentration camps. Emily Hobhouse, a campaigner, had forced the British Government to set up the Fawcett Commission, led by suffragist Millicent Fawcett, into the conditions at the camps. Hobhouse published reports from the camps which told of thousands of deaths from disease and malnutrition. These reports helped to sway public opinion against the war. The demand for peace led to a settlement of hostilities, and in 1902, the Treaty of Vereeniging was signed.[4] The two republics were absorbed into the British Empire, although the British were forced to make a number of concessions and reparations to the Boers. The granting of limited autonomy for the area ultimately led to the establishment of the Union of South Africa.

The original Royal Warrant, was silent on whether the VC could be awarded posthumously. From 1857 until 1897, 18 recipients were gazetted after their deaths but only 12 of the next of kin received the actual medal. In the other six cases there was a memorandum stating that they would have been recommended for the VC had they survived. By 1899, the precedent had been established that the VC could be awarded posthumously if the recommendation for the award was submitted prior to the recipient's death from wounds. Two such awards were granted during the Second Boer War, the well known award to Frederick Roberts, the son of Lord Roberts, and to Francis Parsons. In 1900 and 1901, three memoranda were issued for Herman Albrecht, Robert Digby-Jones and David Younger stating they would have been recommended for the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy restricted to the Second Boer War, it was announced in the London Gazette on 8 August 1902, that the next of kin of the three soldiers mentioned in memoranda would be sent medals. In the same gazette, the first three posthumous awards were gazetted to Alfred Atkinson, John Barry and Gustavus Coulson. In 1907, the posthumous policy was reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the remaining six officers and men.[5] Although the Victoria Cross warrant was not amended to specifically include posthumous awards until 1920, one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.[6][7]

Recipients

  •   This and the * indicate a posthumous award
NameUnitDate of actionPlace of action
Herman AlbrechtImperial Light Horse1900-01-066 January 1900*Ladysmith, South Africa
Alfred AtkinsonYorkshire Regiment1900-02-1818 February 1900*Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa
William BabtieRoyal Army Medical Corps1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
John BarryRoyal Irish Regiment1901-01-077 January 1901*Monument Hill, South Africa
William BeesSherwood Foresters1901-09-3030 September 1901Moedwil, South Africa
Harry BeetDerbyshire Regiment1900-04-2222 April 1900Wakkerstroom, South Africa
Frederick BellWest Australian Mounted Infantry1901-05-1616 May 1901Transvaal, South Africa
John BisdeeTasmanian Imperial Bushmen1900-09-011 September 1900Warm Bad, South Africa
Frederick BradleyRoyal Field Artillery1901-09-2626 September 1901Itala, South Africa
Edward Brown01414th Hussars1900-10-1313 October 1900Geluk, South Africa
John ClementsRimington's Guides1901-02-2424 February 1901Strijdenburg, South Africa
Hampden CockburnRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South Africa
Walter CongreveRifle Brigade1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Gustavus CoulsonKing's Own Scottish Borderers1901-05-1818 May 1901*Lambrechtfontein, South Africa
Harry Crandon01818th Royal Hussars1901-07-044 July 1901Springbok Laagte, South Africa
Thomas CreanImperial Light Horse1901-12-1818 December 1901Tygerkloof Spruit, South Africa
Albert CurtisEast Surrey Regiment1900-02-2323 February 1900Onderbank Spruit, South Africa
Robert Digby-JonesRoyal Engineers1900-01-066 January 1900*Ladysmith, South Africa
Henry DouglasRoyal Army Medical Corps1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South Africa
Alexis DoxatImperial Yeomanry1900-10-2020 October 1900Zeerust, South Africa
Frederic Dugdale0055th Lancers1901-03-033 March 1901Derby, South Africa
Alfred DurrantRifle Brigade1900-08-2727 August 1900Bergendal, South Africa
Henry Engleheart01010th Hussars1900-03-1313 March 1900Bloemfontein, South Africa
William EnglishScottish Horse1901-07-033 July 1901Vlakfontein, South Africa
Donald FarmerQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders1900-12-1313 December 1900Nooitgedacht, South Africa
James FirthDuke of Wellington's Regiment1900-02-2424 February 1900Arundel near Colesberg, South Africa
Charles FitzClarenceRoyal Fusiliers1899-10-1414 October 1899Mafeking, South Africa
Horace GlasockRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa
William GordonGordon Highlanders1900-07-1111 July 1900Krugersdorp, South Africa
Harry HamptonKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2121 August 1900Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
William Hardham0044th New Zealand Contingent1901-01-2828 January 1901Naauwpoort, South Africa
William HeatonKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2323 August 1900Geluk, South Africa
Edward HollandRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South Africa
William HouseRoyal Berkshire Regiment1900-08-022 August 1900Mosilikatse Nek, South Africa
Neville HowseNew South Wales Army Medical Corps1900-07-2424 July 1900Vredefort, South Africa
Alfred IndRoyal Horse Artillery1901-12-2020 December 1901Tafelkop, South Africa
Edgar InksonRoyal Army Medical Corps1900-02-2424 February 1900Colenso, South Africa
Robert JohnstonImperial Light Horse1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
Charles KennedyHighland Light Infantry1900-11-2222 November 1900Dewetsdorp, South Africa
Frank KirbyRoyal Engineers1900-06-022 June 1900Delagoa Bay Railway, South Africa
Henry KnightKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2121 August 1900Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
Brian Lawrence01717th Lancers1900-08-077 August 1900Essenbosch Farm, South Africa
Isaac LodgeRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa
John MacKayGordon Highlanders1900-05-2020 May 1900Johannesburg, South Africa
Conwyn Mansel-JonesWest Yorkshire Regiment1900-02-2727 February 1900Tugela, South Africa
Horace MartineauProtectorate Regiment1899-12-2626 December 1899Mafeking, South Africa
Arthur Martin-LeakeSouth African Constabulary1902-02-088 February 1902Vlakfontein, South Africa
James MastersonDevonshire Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Ladysmith, South Africa
Francis MaxwellRoberts's Light Horse1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa
Leslie Maygar0055th Victorian Mounted Rifles1901-11-2323 November 1901Geelhoutboom, South Africa
Matthew MeiklejohnGordon Highlanders1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
John Milbanke01010th Hussars1900-01-055 January 1900Colesberg, South Africa
Charles MullinsImperial Light Horse1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
William NickersonRoyal Army Medical Corps1900-04-2020 April 1900Wakkerstroom, South Africa
John Norwood0055th Dragoon Guards1899-10-3030 October 1899Ladysmith, South Africa
George NurseRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Charles ParkerRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa
Francis ParsonsEssex Regiment1900-02-1818 February 1900*Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa
Edmund Phipps-HornbyRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa
James PittsManchester Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Caesar's Camp, South Africa
Llewelyn Price-DaviesKing's Royal Rifle Corps1901-09-1717 September 1901Blood River Poort, South Africa
Horace RamsdenProtectorate Regiment1899-12-2626 December 1899Mafeking, South Africa
George RavenhillRoyal Scots Fusiliers1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Hamilton ReedRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Arthur RichardsonStrathcona's Horse1900-07-055 July 1900Wolwespruit, South Africa
Frederick RobertsKing's Royal Rifle Corps1899-12-1515 December 1899*Battle of Colenso, South Africa
William RobertsonGordon Highlanders1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
James RogersSouth African Constabulary1901-06-1515 June 1901Thaba Nchu, South Africa
Harry SchofieldRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Robert ScottManchester Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Caesar's Camp, South Africa
John ShaulHighland Light Infantry1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South Africa
Ernest TowseGordon Highlanders1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South Africa
William TraynorWest Yorkshire Regiment1901-02-066 February 1901Bothwell Camp, South Africa
Richard TurnerRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South Africa
Charles WardKing's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry1900-06-2626 June 1900Lindley, South Africa
Guy WyllyTasmanian Imperial Bushmen1900-09-011 September 1900Warm Bad, South Africa
Alexander YoungCape Police1901-08-1313 August 1901Ruiterskraal, South Africa
David YoungerGordon Highlanders1900-07-1111 July 1900*Krugersdorp, South Africa

References

  1. Ashcroft, Michael; preface; pp. xi–xiii.
  2. Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, p. xxi.
  3. Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, pp. 493–495.
  4. Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, pp. 463–571.
  5. "No. 27986". The London Gazette. 15 January 1907. p. 325.
  6. Crook, M. J., Chapter 8, pp. 68–90.
  7. "No. 31946". The London Gazette. 18 June 1920. p. 6702.

Further reading

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