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.Ashcroft, Michael; preface; pp. xi–xiii.

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).Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, p. xxi. 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.Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, pp. 493–495.

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.Thomas Pakenham, The Boer War, pp. 463–571. 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. 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.Crook, M. J., Chapter 8, pp. 68–90.

Recipients

+NameUnitDate of actionPlace of actionImperial Light Horse1900-01-066 January 1900*Ladysmith, South AfricaYorkshire Regiment1900-02-1818 February 1900*Battle of Paardeberg, South AfricaRoyal Army Medical Corps1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaRoyal Irish Regiment1901-01-077 January 1901*Monument Hill, South AfricaSherwood Foresters1901-09-3030 September 1901Moedwil, South AfricaDerbyshire Regiment1900-04-2222 April 1900Wakkerstroom, South AfricaWest Australian Mounted Infantry1901-05-1616 May 1901Brakpan, South AfricaTasmanian Imperial Bushmen1900-09-011 September 1900Warm Bad, South AfricaRoyal Field Artillery1901-09-2626 September 1901Itala, South Africa01414th Hussars1900-10-1313 October 1900Geluk, South AfricaRimington's Guides1900-02-2424 February 1900Strijdenburg, South AfricaRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South AfricaRifle Brigade1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaKing's Own Scottish Borderers1901-05-1818 May 1901*Lambrechtfontein, South Africa01818th Royal Hussars1901-07-044 July 1901Springbok Laagte, South AfricaImperial Light Horse1901-12-1818 December 1901Tygerkloof Spruit, South AfricaEast Surrey Regiment1900-02-2323 February 1900Onderbank Spruit, South AfricaRoyal Engineers1900-01-066 January 1900*Ladysmith, South AfricaRoyal Army Medical Corps1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South AfricaImperial Yeomanry1900-10-2020 October 1900Zeerust, South Africa0055th Lancers1901-03-033 March 1901Derby, South AfricaRifle Brigade1900-08-2727 August 1900Bergendal, South Africa01010th Hussars1900-03-1313 March 1900Bloemfontein, South AfricaScottish Horse1901-07-033 July 1901Vlakfontein, South AfricaQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders1900-12-1313 December 1900Nooitgedacht, South AfricaDuke of Wellington's Regiment1900-02-2424 February 1900Arundel near Colesberg, South AfricaRoyal Fusiliers1899-10-1414 October 1899Mafeking, South AfricaRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1900-07-1111 July 1900Krugersdorp, South AfricaKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2121 August 1900Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa0044th New Zealand Contingent1901-01-2828 January 1901Naauwpoort, South AfricaKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2323 August 1900Geluk, South AfricaRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South AfricaRoyal Berkshire Regiment1900-08-022 August 1900Mosilikatse Nek, South AfricaNew South Wales Army Medical Corps1900-07-2424 July 1900Vredefort, South AfricaRoyal Horse Artillery1901-12-2020 December 1901Tafelkop, South AfricaRoyal Army Medical Corps1900-02-2424 February 1900Colenso, South AfricaImperial Light Horse1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South AfricaHighland Light Infantry1900-11-2222 November 1900Dewetsdorp, South AfricaRoyal Engineers1900-06-022 June 1900Delagoa Bay Railway, South AfricaKing's (Liverpool) Regiment1900-08-2121 August 1900Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa01717th Lancers1900-08-077 August 1900Essenbosch Farm, South AfricaRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1900-05-2020 May 1900Johannesburg, South AfricaWest Yorkshire Regiment1900-02-2727 February 1900Tugela, South AfricaProtectorate Regiment1899-12-2626 December 1899Mafeking, South AfricaSouth African Constabulary1902-02-088 February 1902Vlakfontein, South AfricaDevonshire Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Ladysmith, South AfricaRoberts's Light Horse1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South Africa0055th Victorian Mounted Rifles1901-11-2323 November 1901Geelhoutboom, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa01010th Hussars1900-01-055 January 1900Colesberg, South AfricaImperial Light Horse1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South AfricaRoyal Army Medical Corps1900-04-2020 April 1900Wakkerstroom, South Africa0055th Dragoon Guards1899-10-3030 October 1899Ladysmith, South AfricaRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South AfricaEssex Regiment1900-02-1818 February 1900*Battle of Paardeberg, South AfricaRoyal Horse Artillery1900-03-3131 March 1900Korn Spruit, South AfricaManchester Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Caesar's Camp, South AfricaKing's Royal Rifle Corps1901-09-1717 September 1901Blood River Poort, South AfricaProtectorate Regiment1899-12-2626 December 1899Mafeking, South AfricaRoyal Scots Fusiliers1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaStrathcona's Horse1900-07-055 July 1900Wolwespruit, South AfricaKing's Royal Rifle Corps1899-12-1515 December 1899*Battle of Colenso, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1899-10-2121 October 1899Battle of Elandslaagte, South AfricaSouth African Constabulary1901-06-1515 June 1901Thaba Nchu, South AfricaRoyal Field Artillery1899-12-1515 December 1899Battle of Colenso, South AfricaManchester Regiment1900-01-066 January 1900Caesar's Camp, South AfricaHighland Light Infantry1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1899-12-1111 December 1899Magersfontein, South AfricaWest Yorkshire Regiment1901-02-066 February 1901Bothwell Camp, South AfricaRoyal Canadian Dragoons1900-11-077 November 1900Komati River, South AfricaKing's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry1900-06-2626 June 1900Lindley, South AfricaTasmanian Imperial Bushmen1900-09-011 September 1900Warm Bad, South AfricaCape Police1901-08-1313 August 1901Ruiterskraal, South AfricaGordon Highlanders1900-07-1111 July 1900*Krugersdorp, South Africa

References

Further reading