Allegiance United Kingdom Name Teignmouth Melvill Awards Victoria Cross Unit 24th Regiment of Foot Service/branch British Army | Rank Lieutenant Education Harrow School Years of service 1865–1879 † Role Armed force officer | |
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Buried at Fugitive's Drift, below Itchiane Hill Battles/wars Anglo-Zulu War
Battle of Isandhlwana Died January 22, 1879, South Africa Battles and wars Battle of Isandlwana, Anglo-Zulu War Similar People Nevill Coghill, Henry Pulleine, Anthony Durnford, Frederic Thesiger - 2nd Baro, John Williams | ||
Teignmouth Melvill VC (8 September 1842 – 22 January 1879) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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The son of Philip Melvill, he was educated at Harrow School, Cheltenham School and Trinity College, Cambridge. He was 36 years old, and a lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later The South Wales Borderers), British Army during the Anglo-Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 January 1879 after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa, Lieutenant Melvill made efforts to save the Queen's Colour of his Regiment. He and Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill were pursued by Zulu warriors and after experiencing great difficulty in crossing the swollen Buffalo River, during which time the Colour was lost and carried downstream, the two men were overtaken by the enemy and following a short struggle both were killed. The Colour was retrieved from the river ten days later.
Melvill and Coghill were amongst the first soldiers to receive the VC posthumously in 1907. Initially the London Gazette mentioned that had they survived they would have been awarded the VC.
He was played by James Faulkner in the film Zulu Dawn.
His son, Charles Melvill (1878–1925), also served in the British Army. He later became a major general in the New Zealand Military Forces.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the South Wales Borderers Museum in Brecon, Powys, Wales.