# List of Second Boer War Victoria Cross recipients

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.
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, 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 |
| Herman Albrecht | Imperial Light Horse | 1900-01-066 January 1900* | Ladysmith, South Africa |
| Alfred Atkinson | Yorkshire Regiment | 1900-02-1818 February 1900* | Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa |
| William Babtie | Royal Army Medical Corps | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| John Barry | Royal Irish Regiment | 1901-01-077 January 1901* | Monument Hill, South Africa |
| William Bees | Sherwood Foresters | 1901-09-3030 September 1901 | Moedwil, South Africa |
| Harry Beet | Derbyshire Regiment | 1900-04-2222 April 1900 | Wakkerstroom, South Africa |
| Frederick Bell | West Australian Mounted Infantry | 1901-05-1616 May 1901 | Brakpan, South Africa |
| John Bisdee | Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen | 1900-09-011 September 1900 | Warm Bad, South Africa |
| Frederick Bradley | Royal Field Artillery | 1901-09-2626 September 1901 | Itala, South Africa |
| Edward Brown | 01414th Hussars | 1900-10-1313 October 1900 | Geluk, South Africa |
| John Clements | Rimington's Guides | 1900-02-2424 February 1900 | Strijdenburg, South Africa |
| Hampden Cockburn | Royal Canadian Dragoons | 1900-11-077 November 1900 | Komati River, South Africa |
| Walter Congreve | Rifle Brigade | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| Gustavus Coulson | King's Own Scottish Borderers | 1901-05-1818 May 1901* | Lambrechtfontein, South Africa |
| Harry Crandon | 01818th Royal Hussars | 1901-07-044 July 1901 | Springbok Laagte, South Africa |
| Thomas Crean | Imperial Light Horse | 1901-12-1818 December 1901 | Tygerkloof Spruit, South Africa |
| Albert Curtis | East Surrey Regiment | 1900-02-2323 February 1900 | Onderbank Spruit, South Africa |
| Robert Digby-Jones | Royal Engineers | 1900-01-066 January 1900* | Ladysmith, South Africa |
| Henry Douglas | Royal Army Medical Corps | 1899-12-1111 December 1899 | Magersfontein, South Africa |
| Alexis Doxat | Imperial Yeomanry | 1900-10-2020 October 1900 | Zeerust, South Africa |
| Frederic Dugdale | 0055th Lancers | 1901-03-033 March 1901 | Derby, South Africa |
| Alfred Durrant | Rifle Brigade | 1900-08-2727 August 1900 | Bergendal, South Africa |
| Henry Engleheart | 01010th Hussars | 1900-03-1313 March 1900 | Bloemfontein, South Africa |
| William English | Scottish Horse | 1901-07-033 July 1901 | Vlakfontein, South Africa |
| Donald Farmer | Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders | 1900-12-1313 December 1900 | Nooitgedacht, South Africa |
| James Firth | Duke of Wellington's Regiment | 1900-02-2424 February 1900 | Arundel near Colesberg, South Africa |
| Charles FitzClarence | Royal Fusiliers | 1899-10-1414 October 1899 | Mafeking, South Africa |
| Horace Glasock | Royal Horse Artillery | 1900-03-3131 March 1900 | Korn Spruit, South Africa |
| William Gordon | Gordon Highlanders | 1900-07-1111 July 1900 | Krugersdorp, South Africa |
| Harry Hampton | King's (Liverpool) Regiment | 1900-08-2121 August 1900 | Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa |
| William Hardham | 0044th New Zealand Contingent | 1901-01-2828 January 1901 | Naauwpoort, South Africa |
| William Heaton | King's (Liverpool) Regiment | 1900-08-2323 August 1900 | Geluk, South Africa |
| Edward Holland | Royal Canadian Dragoons | 1900-11-077 November 1900 | Komati River, South Africa |
| William House | Royal Berkshire Regiment | 1900-08-022 August 1900 | Mosilikatse Nek, South Africa |
| Neville Howse | New South Wales Army Medical Corps | 1900-07-2424 July 1900 | Vredefort, South Africa |
| Alfred Ind | Royal Horse Artillery | 1901-12-2020 December 1901 | Tafelkop, South Africa |
| Edgar Inkson | Royal Army Medical Corps | 1900-02-2424 February 1900 | Colenso, South Africa |
| Robert Johnston | Imperial Light Horse | 1899-10-2121 October 1899 | Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa |
| Charles Kennedy | Highland Light Infantry | 1900-11-2222 November 1900 | Dewetsdorp, South Africa |
| Frank Kirby | Royal Engineers | 1900-06-022 June 1900 | Delagoa Bay Railway, South Africa |
| Henry Knight | King's (Liverpool) Regiment | 1900-08-2121 August 1900 | Van Wyk's Vlei, South Africa |
| Brian Lawrence | 01717th Lancers | 1900-08-077 August 1900 | Essenbosch Farm, South Africa |
| Isaac Lodge | Royal Horse Artillery | 1900-03-3131 March 1900 | Korn Spruit, South Africa |
| John MacKay | Gordon Highlanders | 1900-05-2020 May 1900 | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Conwyn Mansel-Jones | West Yorkshire Regiment | 1900-02-2727 February 1900 | Tugela, South Africa |
| Horace Martineau | Protectorate Regiment | 1899-12-2626 December 1899 | Mafeking, South Africa |
| Arthur Martin-Leake | South African Constabulary | 1902-02-088 February 1902 | Vlakfontein, South Africa |
| James Masterson | Devonshire Regiment | 1900-01-066 January 1900 | Ladysmith, South Africa |
| Francis Maxwell | Roberts's Light Horse | 1900-03-3131 March 1900 | Korn Spruit, South Africa |
| Leslie Maygar | 0055th Victorian Mounted Rifles | 1901-11-2323 November 1901 | Geelhoutboom, South Africa |
| Matthew Meiklejohn | Gordon Highlanders | 1899-10-2121 October 1899 | Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa |
| John Milbanke | 01010th Hussars | 1900-01-055 January 1900 | Colesberg, South Africa |
| Charles Mullins | Imperial Light Horse | 1899-10-2121 October 1899 | Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa |
| William Nickerson | Royal Army Medical Corps | 1900-04-2020 April 1900 | Wakkerstroom, South Africa |
| John Norwood | 0055th Dragoon Guards | 1899-10-3030 October 1899 | Ladysmith, South Africa |
| George Nurse | Royal Field Artillery | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| Charles Parker | Royal Horse Artillery | 1900-03-3131 March 1900 | Korn Spruit, South Africa |
| Francis Parsons | Essex Regiment | 1900-02-1818 February 1900* | Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa |
| Edmund Phipps-Hornby | Royal Horse Artillery | 1900-03-3131 March 1900 | Korn Spruit, South Africa |
| James Pitts | Manchester Regiment | 1900-01-066 January 1900 | Caesar's Camp, South Africa |
| Llewelyn Price-Davies | King's Royal Rifle Corps | 1901-09-1717 September 1901 | Blood River Poort, South Africa |
| Horace Ramsden | Protectorate Regiment | 1899-12-2626 December 1899 | Mafeking, South Africa |
| George Ravenhill | Royal Scots Fusiliers | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| Hamilton Reed | Royal Field Artillery | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| Arthur Richardson | Strathcona's Horse | 1900-07-055 July 1900 | Wolwespruit, South Africa |
| Frederick Roberts | King's Royal Rifle Corps | 1899-12-1515 December 1899* | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| William Robertson | Gordon Highlanders | 1899-10-2121 October 1899 | Battle of Elandslaagte, South Africa |
| James Rogers | South African Constabulary | 1901-06-1515 June 1901 | Thaba Nchu, South Africa |
| Harry Schofield | Royal Field Artillery | 1899-12-1515 December 1899 | Battle of Colenso, South Africa |
| Robert Scott | Manchester Regiment | 1900-01-066 January 1900 | Caesar's Camp, South Africa |
| John Shaul | Highland Light Infantry | 1899-12-1111 December 1899 | Magersfontein, South Africa |
| Ernest Towse | Gordon Highlanders | 1899-12-1111 December 1899 | Magersfontein, South Africa |
| William Traynor | West Yorkshire Regiment | 1901-02-066 February 1901 | Bothwell Camp, South Africa |
| Richard Turner | Royal Canadian Dragoons | 1900-11-077 November 1900 | Komati River, South Africa |
| Charles Ward | King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry | 1900-06-2626 June 1900 | Lindley, South Africa |
| Guy Wylly | Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen | 1900-09-011 September 1900 | Warm Bad, South Africa |
| Alexander Young | Cape Police | 1901-08-1313 August 1901 | Ruiterskraal, South Africa |
| David Younger | Gordon Highlanders | 1900-07-1111 July 1900* | Krugersdorp, South Africa |