The Manchester Regiment Forum
The Boer War => 1899 - 1902 => Topic started by: themonsstar on August 12, 2010, 08:33:39 AM
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I pick up this book the other-day, it covers the 20 Victoria Cross's awarded for the defence and relief of Ladysmith 1899-1900, their engagements, locations and memorials.
The book is a private publication by the author, Charles Aikenhead.
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hiya roy.
amongst the contents is an award to a unit,what does it say about that,i dont know of any such award,the only VC awarded other than to an individual,was to the USA unknown soldier
mack ;D
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check this out,it could help,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanna%27s_Post
In the case of a gallant and daring act being performed by a squadron, ship's company
or a detached body of men (such as marines) in which all men are deemed equally brave
and deserving of the Victoria Cross then a ballot is drawn. The officers select one
officer, the NCOs select one individual and the private soldiers or seamen select two
individuals.[32] In all 46 awards have been awarded by ballot with 29 of the awards during
the Indian Mutiny. Four further awards were granted to Q Battery, Royal Horse Artillery
at Korn Spruit on 31 March 1900 during the Second Boer War. The final ballot awards for
the Army were the six awards to the Lancashire Fusiliers at W Beach during the landing at
Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 although three of the awards were not gazetted until 1917.
The final seven ballot awards were the only naval ballot awards with three awards to two
Q-Ships in 1917 and four awards for the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. The provision for awards
by ballot is still included in the Victoria Cross warrant but there have been no further
such awards since 1918.
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The front cover is showing Pitt & Scott VCs with other Manchester Regt medal awards.
I will have a look after for you Mack
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The two VCs referred to were to Captain Charles Mullins and Lieutenant Robert Johnstone of the Imperial Light Horse for their actions at the battle of Elandslaagte 21 October 1899.
According to the author the two VCs were awarded to the Regiment which is an unusual honour but with precedent in the Indian Mutiny. The Adjutant had recorded I was told to make enquiries in the Regiment to find out to whom they should be given. We no doubt selected the right men but they were in fact bestowed on the Regiment.
The photograph on the front cover shows Pitts and Scott of the Manchesters, together with award winners from other regiments, following the presentation of the VCs and other gallantry medals in 1900.
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thanks robert.
i have been studying the VCs for over 25yrs,but i never knew about this award
mack ;D
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I'd like to know who the author claims are the 20 VC recipients for the defence and relief of Ladysmith as I can only trace 15
Defence
Wagon Hill/Caesar's Camp - Pitts, Scott, Digby-Jones, Albrecht & Masterson
Other - Norwood
Relief
Colenso - Roberts, Reed, Schofield, Nurse, Babtie, Congreve & Ravenhill
Tugela Heights - Mansel-Jones & Inkson
The battle of Elandslaagte comes under neither the defence nor relief of Ladysmith (taking place before either started) so these are outside the scope of the book's title and subject matter but even including the awards to Mullins, Johnstone, Robertson and Meiklejohn the total is still only 19. I may have overlooked others but I don't think so.
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List of Second Boer War Victoria Cross recipients
*posthumous award
name Unit Date of action Place of action
Herman Albrecht Imperial Light Horse 6 January 1900 Ladysmith,
Alfred Atkinson Yorkshire Regiment 18 February 1900 Battle of Paardeberg,
William Babtie Royal Army Medical Corps 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
John Barry Royal Irish Regiment 7 January 1901 Monument Hill, South Africa
William Bees Sherwood Foresters 30 September 1901 Moedwil,
Harry Beet Derbyshire Regiment 22 April 1900 Wakkerstroom,
Frederick Bell West Australian Mounted Infantry 16 May 1901 Transvaal,
John Bisdee Tasmanian Colonial Forces 1 September 1900 Transvaal,
Frederick Bradley Royal Field Artillery 26 September 1901 Itala,
Edward Brown 14th Hussars 13 October 1900 Geluk, South Africa
John Clements Rimington's Guides 24 February 1901 Strijdenburg,
Hampden Cockburn Royal Canadian Dragoons 7 November 1900 Komati River,
Walter Congreve Rifle Brigade 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
Gustavus Coulson King's Own Scottish Borderers 18 May 1901* Lambrechtfontein,
Harry Crandon 18th Royal Hussars 4 July 1901 Springbok Laagte,
Thomas Crean Imperial Light Horse 18 December 1901 Tygerkloof Spruit,
Albert Curtis East Surrey Regiment 23 February 1900 Onderbank Spruit,
Robert Digby-Jones Royal Engineers 6 January 1900 Ladysmith,
Henry Douglas Royal Army Medical Corps 11 December 1899 Magersfontein,
Alexis Doxat Imperial Yeomanry 20 October 1900 Zeerust,
Frederic Dugdale 5th Lancers 3 March 1901 Derby,
Alfred Durrant Rifle Brigade 27 August 1900 Bergendal,
Henry Engleheart 10th Hussars 13 March 1900 Bloemfontein,
William English Scottish Horse 3 July 1901 Vlakfontein,
Donald Farmer Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders 13 December 1900 Nooitgedacht,
James Firth Duke of Wellington's Regiment 24 February 1900 Arundel near Colesberg,
Charles Fitzclarence Royal Fusiliers 14 October 1899 Mafeking,
Horace Glasock Royal Horse Artillery 31 March 1900 Korn Spruit,
William Gordon Gordon Highlanders 11 July 1900 Krugersdorp,
Harry Hampton King's (Liverpool) Regiment 21 August 1900 Van Wyk's Vlei,
William Hardham 4th New Zealand Contingent 28 January 1901 Naauwpoort,
William Heaton King's (Liverpool) Regiment 23 August 1900 Geluk, South Africa
Edward Holland Royal Canadian Dragoons 7 November 1900 Komati River,
William House Royal Berkshire Regiment 2 August 1900 Mosilikatse Nek,
Neville Howse New South Wales Army Medical Corps 24 July 1900 Vredefort,
Alfred Ind Royal Horse Artillery 20 December 1901 Tafelkop,
Edgar Inkson Royal Army Medical Corps 24 February 1900 Colenso,
Robert Johnston Imperial Light Horse 21 October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte,
Charles Kennedy Highland Light Infantry 22 November 1900 Dewetsdorp,
Frank Kirby Royal Engineers 2 June 1900 Delagoa Bay Railway,
Henry Knight King's (Liverpool) Regiment 21 August 1900 Van Wyk's Vlei,
Brian Lawrence 17th Lancers 7 August 1900 Essenbosch Farm,
Isaac Lodge Royal Horse Artillery 31 March 1900 Korn Spruit,
John MacKay Gordon Highlanders 20 May 1900 Johannesburg,
Conwyn Mansel-Jones West Yorkshire Regiment 27 February 1900 Tugela,
Horace Martineau Protecorate Regiment 26 December 1899 Mafeking,
Arthur Martin-Leake South African Constabulary 8 February 1902 Vlakfontein,
James Masterson Devonshire Regiment 6 January 1900 Ladysmith,
Francis Maxwell Robert's Light Horse 31 March 1900 Korn Spruit,
Leslie Maygar 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles 23 November 1901 Geelhoutboom,
Matthew Meiklejohn Gordon Highlanders 21 October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte,
John Milbanke 10th Hussars 5 January 1900 Colesberg, South Africa
Charles Mullins Imperial Light Horse 21 October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte,
William Nickerson Royal Army Medical Corps 20 April 1900 Wakkerstroom,
John Norwood 5th Dragoon Guards 30 October 1899 Ladysmith,
George Nurse Royal Field Artillery 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
Charles Parker Royal Horse Artillery 31 March 1900 Korn Spruit,
Francis Parsons Essex Regiment 18 February 1900 Battle of Paardeberg,
Edmund Phipps-Hornby Royal Horse Artillery 31 March 1900 Korn Spruit,
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James Pitts Manchester Regiment 6 January 1900 Caesar's Camp,
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Llewelyn Price-Davies King's R R Corps 17 September 1901 Blood River Poort,
Horace Ramsden Protectorate Regiment 26 December 1899 Mafeking,
George Ravenhill Royal Scots Fusiliers 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
Hamilton Reed Royal Field Artillery 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
Arthur Richardson Lord Strathcona's Horse 5 July 1900 Wolwespruit,
Frederick Roberts King's Royal Rifle Corps 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso, *
William Robertson Gordon Highlanders 21 October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte,
James Rogers South African Constabulary 15 June 1901 Thaba Nchu,
Harry Schofield Royal Field Artillery 15 December 1899 Battle of Colenso,
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Robert Scott Manchester Regiment 6 January 1900 Caesar's Camp,
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John Shaul Highland Light Infantry 11 December 1899 Magersfontein,
Ernest Towse Gordon Highlanders 11 December 1899 Magersfontein,
William Traynor West Yorkshire Regiment 6 February 1901 Bothwell Camp,
Richard Turner Royal Canadian Dragoons 7 November 1900 Komati River,
Charles Ward King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry 26 June 1900 Lindley,
Guy Wylly Tasmanian Colonial Forces 1 September 1900 Warm Bad,
Alexander Young Cape Police 13 August 1901 Ruiterskraal,
David Younger Gordon Highlanders 11 July 1900 Krugersdorp,
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Ladysmith's 20 VC's from the book.
1-21st October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte
Captain Matthew Meiklejohn & Sergeant-Major William Roberton 2nd Battalion The Gordon Highlanders.
2-21st October 1899 Battle of Elandslaagte
Captain Charles Mullins & Lieutenant Robert Johnstone Imperial Light Horse.
3-30st October 1899 Battle of Ladysmith
2nd Lieutenant John Norwood 5th Dragoon Guard.
4-15th December 1899 Battle of Colenso
Captain Harry Schoefield, Royal Field Artillery, Captain Walter Congreve, The Rifle Brigade, Lieutenant The Hon Frederick Roberts*, Kings Roval Rifle Corps
Corporal George Nurse, 66 Battery Royal Field Artillery.
5-15th December 1899 Battle of Colenso
Captain Hamilton Lyster Reed, Royal Field Artillery
Major William Babtie, Royal Army Medical Corps, Private George Ravenhill, 2nd Bn Royal Scots Fusiliers.
6-6th January 1900 Battle of Wagon Hill
Lieutenant Robert Digby-Jones Royal Engineers, Trooper Herman Albrecht Imperial Light Horese.
7-6th January 1900 Battle of Wagon Hill
Lieutenant James Masterson, 1st Bn the Devonshire Regiment
8-6th January 1900 Battle of Caesar's Camp
Privates Robert Scott and James Pitts, Ist Bn The Manchester Regiment.
9-23st February 1900 Assault on Wynne'a Hill, Battle of Tugela Heights
Private Edward Curtis, 2nd Bn the East Surrey Regiment
10-24th February 1900 Assault on Hart's Hill, Battle of Tugela Heights
Lieutenant Edgar Inkson, Royal Army Medical Corps
11-27th February 1900 Assault on Terrace Hill, BattleTugela Heights
Captain Conwyn Mansel-Jones, The West Yorkshire Regiment.
* Lieutenant The Hon Frederick Roberts 1st Posthumous award
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Thanks for the list of the VCs in the book. I missed out Curtis, probably because the online reference I checked gave the place of the action as Onderbank Spruit whereas it should be Onderbroek Spruit (Tugela Heights).
However, I still maintain that the Elandslaagte VCs are outside the scope of the book's title. Perhaps the author mght have included Bradley's VC won at Itala and entitled it 'Natal's 21 VCs' or similar.