Robert Johnston ( VC ) Major Robert Johnston VC ( Laputa , County Donegal , 13 August 1872 – Kilkenny , County Kilkenny , 24 March 1950 ) was an Irish rugby union player and soldier . During the Second Boer War , Johnston was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving with the Imperial Light Horse . The medal is displayed at the Light Horse Bar at The Saturday Club in Kolkata , India . He played rugby for both Ireland and the British Lions . He is one of three Ireland rugby union internationals to have been awarded the Victoria Cross . The other two are Tom Crean , who also served with the Imperial Light Horse in the Second Boer War , and Frederick Harvey who served in the First World War . Johnston , Crean and Harvey all played club rugby for Wanderers . In 1896 Johnston and Crean were also members of the same British Lions squad that toured South Africa . Johnston was also one of three alumni of King William ' s College to have been awarded the VC . The other two were George Stuart White and Robert Henry Cain . White served in the Second Anglo - Afghan War and Cain served in the Second World War . Early years . Johnston was the son of Robert Johnston who served as Queen ' s Counsel in County Donegal . He was educated at King William ' s College on the Isle of Man . Rugby international . Ireland . In 1893 , Johnston made 2 appearances for Ireland . He made his international debut on 4 February 1893 in a 4 - 0 defeat against England at Lansdowne Road . Then on 11 March he played in a 2 - 0 defeat against Wales at Stradey Park . Two of his brothers were also Ireland internationals British Lions . In 1896 Johnston was a member of the British Lions squad for their tour to South Africa . He was part of strong Irish contingent , being one of nine Irishmen selected . The others included Tom Crean , Louis Magee , Jim Magee , Larry Bulger , Jim Sealy , Andrew Clinch , Arthur Meares and Cecil Boyd . He played in three of the four tests against South Africa . Military career . When the British Lions tour ended , Johnston , together with Tom Crean , decided to stay on in South Africa . He played rugby for Transvaal and captained them in the Currie Cup . In 1899 , at the start of the Second Boer War , again with Crean , he enlisted in the Imperial Light Horse and Johnston subsequently reached the rank of major . Johnston was already an experienced soldier , having previously served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers between 1890 and 1894 . He served in South Africa between 1899 and 1901 and was dangerously wounded during the Siege of Ladysmith . In October 1899 , according to the " Irish Times " , the Imperial Light Horse particularly distinguished themselves in the Battle of Elandslaagte and it was during this engagement that Johnston , while still a captain , won his VC . The joint citation for him and Captain Charles Herbert Mullins reads : Johnston was badly wounded and was nursed back to health by Crean . He travelled to London in early 1901 , and both he and Mullins received the VC from King Edward during an investiture at Marlborough House 25 July 1901 . Mullins was the brother of Cuth Mullins who had earlier been one of Johnston ’ s British Lions team - mates . In 1902 he was Commandant at a concentration camp at Middelburg , Mpumalanga and in 1903 he was a District Commissioner in the Eastern Transvaal . Johnston was awarded the Queen ' s South Africa Medal and bars and the King ' s South Africa Medal for his service . Later years . In 1911 Johnston returned to Ireland and joined the Prison Service . He was Commandant of the POW camp at Oldcastle 1914 - 15 , and was appointed Governor of His Majesty ' s Convict Prison at Maryborough in 1915 , before returning to Oldcastle in 1916 . In 1918 he was appointed a Resident Magistrate . He later settled in Kilkenny where he died . Conflicting sources give his date of death as either 1950 or 1970 . He was buried in St Mary ' s Churchyard , Inistioge , County Kilkenny .