Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones
| Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones | |
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| Born | 27 September 1876 Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 6 January 1900 (aged 23) Ladysmith, South Africa |
| Buried at | Ladysmith Cemetery |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1896 - 1900 † |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | Royal Engineers |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
| Other work | Royal Engineers A.F.C. player |
Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones (27 September 1876 – 6 January 1900) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross,[1] the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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[edit] Details
He was 23 years old, and a lieutenant in the Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army during the South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 6 January 1900 during the attack on Wagon Hill (Ladysmith), South Africa, Lieutenant Digby-Jones and a trooper (Herman Albrecht) of the Imperial Light Horse led the force which re-occupied the top of the hill at a critical moment, just as the three foremost attacking Boers reached it. The leader was shot by Lieutenant Digby-Jones and the two others by the trooper.[2]
A memorial to him stands in his old school, Sedbergh, commemorating his brave deeds.
[edit] The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers Museum (Chatham, England).
[edit] References
- Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
- The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
- The Sapper VCs (Gerald Napier, 1998)
- Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)
- Victoria Crosses of the Anglo-Boer War (Ian Uys, 2000)
[edit] Notes
- ^ Royal Engineers Museum Sappers VCs
- ^ London Gazette: no. 27462. p. 5085. 8 August 1902. Retrieved 27 October 2009.
[edit] External links
- Photo of memorial in Ladysmith cemetery listing Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones, from Genealogical Society of South Africa online library.
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- 1876 births
- 1900 deaths
- British military personnel killed in the Second Boer War
- Second Boer War recipients of the Victoria Cross
- British recipients of the Victoria Cross
- Royal Engineers officers
- British Army personnel of the Second Boer War
- Old Sedberghians
- Graduates of the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich
- Royal Engineers A.F.C. players
- People from Edinburgh
- British Army personnel stubs
