List of Zulu War Victoria Cross recipients

The largest number of VCs awarded to a single unit in a single action was at Rorke's Drift on 22 January 1879

The Victoria Cross (VC) was awarded to 23 members of the British Armed Forces for action during the Zulu War of 1879. 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.

The Zulu War (also known as the Anglo-Zulu War) was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Empire. The war saw the end of the Zulu nation's independence and its colonisation by the British. After initially entering Zululand (part of modern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa) unopposed, the centre column of men under the command of Henry Pulleine were encamped at Isandlwana. Zulu troops launched an attack that roundly defeated the British, killing more than 1,200 European soldiers on 22 January 1879. After the victory at the Battle of Isandlwana, the Zulu troops moved onto the small garrison of Rorke's Drift. This action involved 139 British soldiers in defence of their garrison against an assault by 4,000 Zulu warriors; the action was later made famous by the film Zulu. The defence of Rorke's Drift is considered by historians as a "masterly defensive action" and an example of British heroism. Eleven recipients received their awards for actions during the defence of the small garrison — one of the largest number of VCs awarded for a single action, and the largest number (7) awarded to a single unit (the 2nd/24th Foot) for a single action. After the severe losses at Isandlwana, Charles Pearson's depleted column was besieged at Eshowe for three months. He was eventually relieved by a force under the personal command of General the Lord Chelmsford (the commander-in-chief of British forces in South Africa), which broke through the cordon three months later, on 2 April 1879. The British forces regrouped and defeated the Zulu soldiers at the Battle of Ulundi.

Under the original Royal Warrant, the VC could not be awarded posthumously. Between 1897 and 1901, several notices were issued in the London Gazette regarding soldiers who would have been awarded the VC had they survived. In a partial reversal of policy in 1902, six of the soldiers mentioned were granted the VC, but not "officially" awarded the medal. In 1907, the posthumous policy was completely reversed and medals were sent to the next of kin of the six officers and men; Nevill Coghill and Teignmouth Melvill were two of the soldiers who were decorated thus. The Victoria Cross warrant was not officially amended to include posthumous awards until 1920 but one quarter of all awards for the First World War were posthumous.

Recipients

•       This along with the *, indicates a posthumous award

Name	Unit	Date of action	Place of action
Allen, WilliamWilliam Allen	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Beresford, WilliamWilliam Beresford	0099th Lancers	1879-07-033 July 1879	Ulundi, Zululand
Booth, AnthonyAnthony Booth	08018th Regiment of Foot	1879-03-1212 March 1879	Intombi River, Zululand
Bromhead, GonvilleGonville Bromhead	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Browne, EdwardEdward Browne	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-03-2929 March 1879	Battle of Hlobane, Zululand
Buller, RedversRedvers Buller	06060th Rifles	1879-03-2828 March 1879	Battle of Hlobane, Zululand
Chard, JohnJohn Chard	Royal Engineers	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Coghill, NevillNevill Coghill	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-01-2222 January 1879*	Battle of Isandhlwana, Zululand
Dalton, JamesJames Dalton	Commissariat DepartmentCommissariat and Transport Department	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
D'Arcy, HenryHenry D'Arcy	Cape Frontier Light Horse	1879-07-033 July 1879	Ulundi, Zululand
Fowler, EdmundEdmund Fowler	02626th Regiment of Foot	1879-03-2828 March 1879	Battle of Hlobane, Zululand
Hitch, FrederickFrederick Hitch	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Hook, AlfredAlfred Hook	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Jones, RobertRobert Jones	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Jones, WilliamWilliam Jones	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Leet, WilliamWilliam Leet	01313th Regiment of Foot	1879-03-2828 March 1879	Battle of Hlobane, Zululand
Lysons, HenryHenry Lysons	02626th Regiment of Foot	1879-03-2828 March 1879	Battle of Hlobane, Zululand
Melvill, TeignmouthTeignmouth Melvill	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-01-2222 January 1879*	Battle of Isandhlwana, Zululand
O'Toole, EdmundEdmund O'Toole	Cape Frontier Light Horse	1879-07-033 July 1879	Ulundi, Zululand
Reynolds, JamesJames Reynolds	Army Medical DepartmentArmy Medical Department	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Schiess, ChristianChristian Schiess	Natal Native Contingent	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand
Wassall, SamuelSamuel Wassall	08018th Regiment of Foot	1879-01-2222 January 1879	Battle of Isandhlwana, Zululand
Williams, JohnJohn Williams	02424th Regiment of Foot	1879-02-2222–23 January 1879	Rorke's Drift, Zululand

References

General

• Arthur, Max (2005). Symbol of Courage; Men behind the Medal. Pan books. pp. 119–131. ISBN 978 0 330 49133 4. 
• Ashcroft, Michael (2006). Victoria Cross Heroes. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0755316320. 
• Best, Brian (1997). "Zulu War Victoria Cross Holders". Journal of the Anglo Zulu War Historical Society 1: 36–48. 
• Crook, M.J. (1975). The Evolution of the Victoria Cross. Midas books. ISBN 0 85936 041 5. 
• London Gazette: no. 24717. pp. 3177–3178. 2 May 1879. Retrieved 28 August 2008.
• "Victoria Cross Registers". The National Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/victoriacross.asp. Retrieved 2008-04-11. 

Specific