Victoria Cross: Adams, Murray and MacLean

ROBERT BELLEW ADAMS

Major (Brevet Lieutenant Colonel), Indian Staff Corps

Born: 26 July 1856, Murree, Punjab, India
Died: 13 February 1928, Inverness, Scotland


ALEXANDER EDWARD MURRAY, VISCOUNT FINCASTLE

Lieutenant, 16th Lancers

Born: 22 April 1871, Portland Place, London
Died: 29 January 1962, Sussex Place, West London

Joint Citation: During the fighting at Nawa Kili, in Upper Swat, on the 17th August, 1897, Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Adams proceeded with Lieutenants H. L. S. MacLean and Viscount Fincastle, and five men of the Guides, under a very heavy and close fire, to the rescue of Lieutenant R. T. Greaves, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was lying disabled by a bullet wound and surrounded by the enemy's swordsmen. In bringing him under cover he (Lieutenant Greaves) was struck by a bullet and killed - Lieutenant MacLean was mortally wounded - whilst the horses of Lieutenant-Colonel Adams and Lieutenant Viscount Fincastle were shot, as well as two troop horses.

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Lieutenant Hector Lachlan Stewart MacLean, Indian Staff Corps, on account of his gallant conduct as recorded above, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for the Victoria Cross had he survived.

(London Gazette Issue 26908 dated 9 Nov 1897, published 9 Nov 1897.)


HECTOR LACHLAN STEWART MACLEAN

Lieutenant, Indian Staff Corps

Born: 13 September 1870, Bannu, North West Frontier, India
Died: 17 August 1897, Upper Swat, India

Citation: The KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the Decoration of the Victoria Cross being delivered to the representatives of the undermentioned Officers and men who fell in the performance of acts of valour, and with reference to whom it was notified in the London Gazette that they would have been recommended to Her late Majesty for the Victoria Cross had they survived:–
London Gazette, 9th November, 1897.
"Lieutenant Hector Lachlan Stewart MacLean, Indian Staff Corps, on account of his gallant conduct, would have been recommended to Her Majesty for the Victoria Cross had he survived. During the fighting at Nawa Kili, in Upper Swat, on the 17th August, 1897, Lieutenant-Colonel R. B. Adams proceeded with Lieutenants H. L. S. MacLean and Viscount Fincastle, and five men of the Guides, under a very heavy and close fire, to the rescue of Lieutenant R. T. Greaves, Lancashire Fusiliers, who was lying disabled by a bullet wound and surrounded by the enemy's swordsmen. In bringing him under cover he (Lieutenant Greaves) was struck by a bullet and killed. Lieutenant MacLean was mortally wounded, whilst the horses of Lieutenant-Colonel Adams and Lieutenant Viscount Fincastle were shot, as well as two troop horses."

(London Gazette Issue 27986 dated 15 Jan 1907, published 15 Jan 1907.)


Note: The others who who received posthumous awards of the Victoria Cross with Lieutenant MacLean were Private Edward Spence, 42nd Regiment (for action in 1859); Ensign Everard A L Phillipps, 11th Regiment of Bengal Native Infantry (1859); Lieutenant Teignmouth Melvill, 24th Foot (1879); Lieutenant Neville J A Coghill, 24th Foot (1879); and Trooper Frank W Baxter, Buluwayo Field Force (1897).