Gallantry Medals Awarded in the Anglo Zulu War

Many people know about the VC's awarded at Rorkes Drift ,the most in a single action as depicted in the film Zulu ,but there were a large number of V.C'c & Distinguished conduct medals awarded during the short but bloody war . Below is a list of all the medals awarded ,where they were won with the dates ,the ones in RED are the gallant chaps whose graves we have visited .

Isandlwana 22nd January 1879

Victoria Cross

Lieutenant Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill ,1st Battalion ,24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Lieutenant Teignmouth Melvill,1st Battalion ,24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Private Samuel Wassall ,80th Regiment (Staffordshire Volunteers)


Rorke's Drift 22/23January 1879

Victoria Cross

Lieutenant John Rouse Merriott Chard ,5thCompany Corps of Royal Engineers 

Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead , 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Corporal William Wilson Allan 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment  

Private Frederick Hitch  2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Private Alfred Henry Hook 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment  

Private Robert Jones , 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment  

Private William Jones ,2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment  

Private John Williams (Fielding)2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment  

Surgeon James Henry Reynolds ,Army Medicl Corps

Assistant-Commisary James Langley Dalton ,commissariat Department

Corporal Ferdinand Christian Scheiss ,3rd Battalion Natal Native Contingent 


Distinguished Conduct Medal

Gunner John Cantrell ,5th Brigade Royal Regiment of Artillery 

Private William Roy 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Colour-Sergeant Frank Bourne 2nd Battalion 24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment

Corporal francis Atwood , Army Service Corps

Corporal  Michael McMahon  , Army Hospital Corps ( later cancelled)



Intombi River 12 March 1879 

Victoria Cross

Colour Sergeant Anthony Clarke Booth ,80th Regiment (Staffordshire Volunteers)


Hlobane Mountain 28 March 1879

Victoria Cross

Colonel Redvers Buller 60th Rifles (Kings Royal Rifle Corps ) 

Major William Knox Leet ,1st Battalion ,13th Somerset light infantry 

Lieutenant Henry Lysons ,90th (Perthshire) Light Infantry

Private Edmund John Fowler ,90th (Perthshire) Light Infantry


Distinguished Conduct Medal

Bugler Alexander Walkinshaw , 90th (Perthshire) Light Infantry

Corporal William Dommett Vinnicombe , Frontier Light Horse

Trooper Robert Brown , Frontier Light Horse


Khambula Hill 29 March 1879

Victoria Cross

 Lieutenant Edward Stevenson Browne ,,1st Battalion ,24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment 

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Corporal Edward Quigly 7th Brigade Royal Regiment of Artillery 

Private Albert Page .1st Battalion ,13th (somerset) Light Infantry

Private John Power ,1st Battalion ,24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment 

Troop Sergeant -Major Learda ,Edendale Troop Natal Native Horse

White Mfolosi River ,3 july 1879 

Victoria Cross

Captain William Leslie de la Poer Berisford 9thn (Queens Royal Lancers )

Captain Cecil Dudgeon D'Arcy , Frontier Light Horse 

Sergeant Edmund Joseph O'Toole , Frontier Light Horse 

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Troop Sergeant -Major Simeon Kambula ,Edendale Troop Natal Native Horse

Ulundi 4 July 1879

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Gunner Willaim Moorhead, 7th Brigade Royal Regiment of Artillery

Private John Power ,1st Battalion ,24th (2nd Warwickshire ) Regiment (also for Khambula)

Coluor sergeant James Phillips ,58th (Rutlandshire)  Regiment