List of Second Boer War Victoria Cross recipients

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 Victoria Cross (VC) was 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.

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). 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.

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. 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 VC 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. 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.

Recipients

•       This and the * indicate a posthumous award

Name	Unit	Date of action	Place of action
Albrecht, HermanHerman Albrecht	Imperial Light Horse	1900-01-066 January 1900*	Ladysmith, South Africa
Atkinson, AlfredAlfred Atkinson	Yorkshire Regiment	1900-02-1818 February 1900*	Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa
Babtie, WilliamWilliam Babtie	Royal Army Medical Corps	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Barry, JohnJohn Barry	Royal Irish Regiment	1901-01-077 January 1901*	Monument Hill, South Africa
Bees, WilliamWilliam Bees	Sherwood Foresters	1901-09-3030 September 1901	Moedwil, South Africa
Beet, HarryHarry Beet	Derbyshire Regiment	1900-04-2222 April 1900	Wakkerstroom, South Africa
Bell, FrederickFrederick Bell	West Australian Mounted Infantry	1901-05-1616 May 1901	Transvaal, South Africa
Bisdee, JohnJohn Bisdee	Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	1900-09-011 September 1900	Warm Bad, South Africa
Bradley, FrederickFrederick Bradley	Royal Field Artillery	1901-09-2626 September 1901	Itala, South Africa
Brown, EdwardEdward Brown	01414th Hussars	1900-10-1313 October 1900	Geluk, South Africa
Clements, JohnJohn Clements	Rimington's Guides	1901-02-2424 February 1901	Strijdenburg, South Africa
Cockburn, HampdenHampden Cockburn	Royal Canadian Dragoons	1900-11-077 November 1900	Komati River, South Africa
Congreve, WalterWalter Congreve	Rifle Brigade	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Coulson, GustavusGustavus Coulson	King's Own Scottish Borderers	1901-05-1818 May 1901*	Lambrechtfontein, South Africa
Crandon, HarryHarry Crandon	01818th Royal Hussars	1901-07-044 July 1901	Springbok Laagte, South Africa
Crean, ThomasThomas Crean	Imperial Light Horse	1901-12-1818 December 1901	Tygerkloof Spruit, South Africa
Curtis, AlbertAlbert Curtis	East Surrey Regiment	1900-02-2323 February 1900	Onderbank Spruit, South Africa
Digby-Jones, RobertRobert Digby-Jones	Royal Engineers	1900-01-066 January 1900*	Ladysmith, South Africa
Douglas, HenryHenry Douglas	Royal Army Medical Corps	1899-12-1111 December 1899	Magersfontein, South Africa
Doxat, AlexisAlexis Doxat	Imperial Yeomanry	1900-10-2020 October 1900	Zeerust, South Africa
Dugdale, FredericFrederic Dugdale	0055th Lancers	1901-03-033 March 1901	Derby, South Africa
Durrant, AlfredAlfred Durrant	Rifle Brigade	1900-08-2727 August 1900	Bergendal, South Africa
Engleheart, HenryHenry Engleheart	01010th Hussars	1900-03-1313 March 1900	Bloemfontein, South Africa
English, WilliamWilliam English	Scottish Horse	1901-07-033 July 1901	Vlakfontein, South Africa
Farmer, DonaldDonald Farmer	Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders	1900-12-1313 December 1900	Nooitgedacht, South Africa
Firth, JamesJames Firth	Duke of Wellington's Regiment	1900-02-2424 February 1900	Arundel near Colesberg, South Africa
FitzClarence, CharlesCharles FitzClarence	Royal Fusiliers	1899-10-1414 October 1899	Mafeking, South Africa
Glasock, HoraceHorace Glasock	Royal Horse Artillery	1900-03-3131 March 1900	Korn Spruit, South Africa
Gordon, WilliamWilliam Gordon	Gordon Highlanders	1900-07-1111 July 1900	Krugersdorp, South Africa
Hampton, HarryHarry Hampton	King's (Liverpool) Regiment	1900-08-2121 August 1900	Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
Hardham, WilliamWilliam Hardham	0044th New Zealand Contingent	1901-01-2828 January 1901	Naauwpoort, South Africa
Heaton, WilliamWilliam Heaton	King's (Liverpool) Regiment	1900-08-2323 August 1900	Geluk, South Africa
Holland, EdwardEdward Holland	Royal Canadian Dragoons	1900-11-077 November 1900	Komati River, South Africa
House, WilliamWilliam House	Royal Berkshire Regiment	1900-08-022 August 1900	Mosilikatse Nek, South Africa
Howse, NevilleNeville Howse	New South Wales Army Medical Corps	1900-07-2424 July 1900	Vredefort, South Africa
Ind, AlfredAlfred Ind	Royal Horse Artillery	1901-12-2020 December 1901	Tafelkop, South Africa
Inkson, EdgarEdgar Inkson	Royal Army Medical Corps	1900-02-2424 February 1900	Colenso, South Africa
Johnston, RobertRobert Johnston	Imperial Light Horse	1899-10-2121 October 1899	Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
Kennedy, CharlesCharles Kennedy	Highland Light Infantry	1900-11-2222 November 1900	Dewetsdorp, South Africa
Kirby, FrankFrank Kirby	Royal Engineers	1900-06-022 June 1900	Delagoa Bay Railway, South Africa
Knight, HenryHenry Knight	King's (Liverpool) Regiment	1900-08-2121 August 1900	Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa
Lawrence, BrianBrian Lawrence	01717th Lancers	1900-08-077 August 1900	Essenbosch Farm, South Africa
Lodge, IsaacIsaac Lodge	Royal Horse Artillery	1900-03-3131 March 1900	Korn Spruit, South Africa
MacKay, JohnJohn MacKay	Gordon Highlanders	1900-05-2020 May 1900	Johannesburg, South Africa
Mansel-Jones, ConwynConwyn Mansel-Jones	West Yorkshire Regiment	1900-02-2727 February 1900	Tugela, South Africa
Martineau, HoraceHorace Martineau	Protectorate Regiment	1899-12-2626 December 1899	Mafeking, South Africa
Martin-Leake, ArthurArthur Martin-Leake	South African Constabulary	1902-02-088 February 1902	Vlakfontein, South Africa
Masterson, JamesJames Masterson	Devonshire Regiment	1900-01-066 January 1900	Ladysmith, South Africa
Maxwell, FrancisFrancis Maxwell	Robert's Light Horse	1900-03-3131 March 1900	Korn Spruit, South Africa
Maygar, LeslieLeslie Maygar	0055th Victorian Mounted Rifles	1901-11-2323 November 1901	Geelhoutboom, South Africa
Meiklejohn, MatthewMatthew Meiklejohn	Gordon Highlanders	1899-10-2121 October 1899	Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
Milbanke, JohnJohn Milbanke	01010th Hussars	1900-01-055 January 1900	Colesberg, South Africa
Mullins, CharlesCharles Mullins	Imperial Light Horse	1899-10-2121 October 1899	Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
Nickerson, WilliamWilliam Nickerson	Royal Army Medical Corps	1900-04-2020 April 1900	Wakkerstroom, South Africa
Norwood, JohnJohn Norwood	0055th Dragoon Guards	1899-10-3030 October 1899	Ladysmith, South Africa
Nurse, GeorgeGeorge Nurse	Royal Field Artillery	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Parker, CharlesCharles Parker	Royal Horse Artillery	1900-03-3131 March 1900	Korn Spruit, South Africa
Parsons, FrancisFrancis Parsons	Essex Regiment	1900-02-1818 February 1900*	Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa
Phipps-Hornby, EdmundEdmund Phipps-Hornby	Royal Horse Artillery	1900-03-3131 March 1900	Korn Spruit, South Africa
Pitts, JamesJames Pitts	Manchester Regiment	1900-01-066 January 1900	Caesar's Camp, South Africa
Price-Davies, LlewelynLlewelyn Price-Davies	King's Royal Rifle Corps	1901-09-1717 September 1901	Blood River Poort, South Africa
Ramsden, HoraceHorace Ramsden	Protectorate Regiment	1899-12-2626 December 1899	Mafeking, South Africa
Ravenhill, GeorgeGeorge Ravenhill	Royal Scots Fusiliers	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Reed, HamiltonHamilton Reed	Royal Field Artillery	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Richardson, ArthurArthur Richardson	Strathcona's Horse	1900-07-055 July 1900	Wolwespruit, South Africa
Roberts, FrederickFrederick Roberts	King's Royal Rifle Corps	1899-12-1515 December 1899*	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Robertson, WilliamWilliam Robertson	Gordon Highlanders	1899-10-2121 October 1899	Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa
Rogers, JamesJames Rogers	South African Constabulary	1901-06-1515 June 1901	Thaba Nchu, South Africa
Schofield, HarryHarry Schofield	Royal Field Artillery	1899-12-1515 December 1899	Battle of Colenso, South Africa
Scott, RobertRobert Scott	Manchester Regiment	1900-01-066 January 1900	Caesar's Camp, South Africa
Shaul, JohnJohn Shaul	Highland Light Infantry	1899-12-1111 December 1899	Magersfontein, South Africa
Towse, ErnestErnest Towse	Gordon Highlanders	1899-12-1111 December 1899	Magersfontein, South Africa
Traynor, WilliamWilliam Traynor	West Yorkshire Regiment	1901-02-066 February 1901	Bothwell Camp, South Africa
Turner, RichardRichard Turner	Royal Canadian Dragoons	1900-11-077 November 1900	Komati River, South Africa
Ward, CharlesCharles Ward	King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry	1900-06-2626 June 1900	Lindley, South Africa
Wylly, GuyGuy Wylly	Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen	1900-09-011 September 1900	Warm Bad, South Africa
Young, AlexanderAlexander Young	Cape Police	1901-08-1313 August 1901	Ruiterskraal, South Africa
Younger, DavidDavid Younger	Gordon Highlanders	1900-07-1111 July 1900*	Krugersdorp, South Africa

Further reading

• "Victoria Cross Registers". The National Archives. http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/victoriacross.asp. Retrieved 5 January 2009. 
• Arthur, Max (2005). Symbol of Courage; Men behind the Medal. Pan Books. pp. 116–119. ISBN 978-0-330-49133-4. 
• Ashcroft, Michael (2006). Victoria Cross Heroes. Headline Book Publishing. ISBN 0-7553-1632-0. 
• Crook, M.J. (1975). The Evolution of the Victoria Cross. Midas Books. ISBN 0-85936-041-5. 
• Pakenham, Thomas (1979). The Boer War. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-394-42742-4.