THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL

Posts : 558 Join date : 2012-05-05

Was Colour Sgt Bourne the only recipient of the DCM at Rorkes drift.

And how many others received the DCM during the Zulu War.

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 62 Location : UK

2076 Gnr. Cantwell, John. Royal Artillery.
2469 2 Cpl. Attwood, Francis. A.S.C.
2459 C.Sgt. Bourne, Frank 2/24th Regt.
1542 Pte. Roy, William 1/24th Regt.
3359 2 Cpl. McMahon, Michael Army. Hospital Corps. (subsequently withdrawn)

Not sure on your second question?

Guest

Ulundi,

This from “The South Africa Military History Society”:

“The Zulu War saw the award of twenty-three Victoria Crosses and 15 Distinguished Conduct Medals.”

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol044fm.html

In addition to the 5 for Rorke’s Drift, there were 10 others awarded.

Petty Officer Tom

Guest

Ulundi

This from “Zulu War Medals” by Brian Best

D.C.M.

Sgt. Simeon Kambula, Natal Native Horse
Troop Sgt Major Learda, Natal Native Horse
Private John Power, 1/24th
Colour Sgt. James Philips, 58th
Gunner William Morehead, R. A.
Corporal Edward Quigley, R.A.
Private Albert Page, 13th
Corporal William Vinnicombe, Frontier Light Horse
Trooper Richard Browne, Frontier Light Horse
Private Alexander Walkinshaw, 90th

http://www.anglozuluwar.com/content/html3/2009/04/16/2009041610482730000100.htm

Petty Officer Tom

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Mon Jan 21, 2013 9:31 am

Moorhead was awarded his DCM at Ulundi.
During the battle Moorhead was severely wounded in the right foot by a rifle bullet. Although he was severely wounded he refused to go to the field hospital and continued to prepare cartridges under fire for ½ hour.

The correspondent of the Natal Witness reporting the battle wrote, a gunner of the name of Moorhead attracted special notice. He was wounded in the leg and rendered incapable of remaining at his gun. He was, however, determined not to remain idle, for when safe inside the square he crawled to where the drums of the Gatling battery were being filled with cartridges and insisted on helping the sergeant to charge them

Brief service details
enlisted at Sunderland 4/10/76
3/10/77 stationed in Mauritius
28th March 1879 arrived in South Africa
15/10/79 Back to Mauritius
2/10/80 \Stationed at The Cape of Good Hope
4/10/83 invalided out of the army due to complications caused by Syphilis contracted in Mauritius.

medal entitlement SAGs 1879 and DCM currently in private hands.

Regards

Sergio

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 62 Location : UK

From the link posted by Tom

THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL

A. RORKE'S DRIFT: 22-23 Jan. 1879.

"2469 2 Cpl. Attwood, Francis. A.S.C.
2459 C.Sgt. Bourne, Frank 2/24th Regt.
2076 Gnr. Cantwell, John. Royal Artillery.
3359 2 Cpl. McMahon, Michael Army. Hospital Corps. (subsequently withdrawn)
1542 Pte. Roy, William 1/24th Regt.

B. HLOBANE MOUNTAIN: 28 March 1879.
Cpl. Vinnicombe, William D. Frontier Light Horse.
Bde Pte. 104 Walkinshaw, A. 90th Light Infantry.

C. KAMBULA: 29 March 1879.
Tp. Sgt. Maj. Learda. Natal Native Horse.
1197 Pte. Page, Albert. 13th Foot.
1689 Cpl. Quigley, Edward. 11/7th Bde, Rl. Artillery.

D. UMFOLOZI RIVER: 3 July 1879.
Sgt. Kambula, Simeon. Natal Native Horse.

E. ULUNDI: 4 July 1879
2348 Gnr. Moorhead, William. 10/7 Bde, Rl. Artillery.
1196 C/Sgt. Phillips, James late 2nd Bn. Northampton Regt.
499 Pte. Power, John 1/24th Regt. (also for service in Griqualand West 1878 and at Kambula).

F. ZULULAND: 1879. (Details not ascertained).
Tpr. Brown, R. Frontier Light Horse."

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Tue Jan 22, 2013 5:15 am

Hi John
Trpr. R . Brown FLH , awarded the DCM for his actions at Hlobane 28 / 3 / 79 . This according to Terry Sole's
'' For God , Queen & Colony '' .
Cheers 90th.

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Thu Sep 05, 2024 7:21 am

That would make 16 not 15 in total.
I wonder whether there might be another one?
Does anyone know of a corporal of the household cavalry who won a DCM in the Zulu War. He was Irish and his Christian name might have been Patrick?

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Thu Sep 05, 2024 8:16 am

Julian,

Still away, but I have listed those awarded the D.C.M. in They Fell Like Stones…

There was no-one - that I can recall - from the Household Cavalry who was awarded the D.C.M. in the Zulu War of 1879, unless they transferred after the campaign.

JY

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Thu Sep 05, 2024 9:01 am

OK thanks, I'll check. Your latter point is a thought. I was reading an autobiography which quoted the obituary of someone he knew - perhaps the obituary got it wrong.

Posts : 615 Join date : 2013-05-07 Location : Brecon

15 in total - although most (particularly the colonials) received the medal without an annuity or gratuity. CSgt Frank Bourne recieved a £10 gratuity which equivalant to that awarded to VC recipients.

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Thu Sep 05, 2024 9:08 pm

Thank you. So Brown is definitely wrong?

Posts : 615 Join date : 2013-05-07 Location : Brecon

Petty Officer Tom lists 15 DCMs including Brown

Subject: Re: THE DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL Thu Sep 05, 2024 11:16 pm

So he does! Sorry! I was thrown by 90th's additional post.

» Distinguished Conduct Medals Awarded Zulu Wars South Africa.
» A DISTINGUISHED NAVAL OFFICER
» Original Queen South African Medal Zulu War medal