Victoria Cross: R. G. Scott and P. Brown

ROBERT GEORGE SCOTT

Sergeant, Cape Mounted Riflemen

Born: 22 April 1857, Peterborough
Died: 3 October 1918, Wynberg, South Africa

Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and devotion during an attack on Moirosi's Mountain, on the 8th April, 1879, in volunteering to throw time fuze shells, as hand grenades, over a line of stone barricades, from behind which, the enemy were bringing a heavy fire to bear on the Colonial Troops, and which it was impossible effectually to return.
After causing all the men of his party to retire under cover, lest the shell should burst prematurely,--by which precaution many lives were in all probability saved--Sergeant Scott advanced in a most deliberate manner under a heavy fire, and, having got under the wall, made two attempts to throw shells over it. At the second attempt, owing to some defect in the fuze, which he had just lighted, the shell exploded almost in Sergeant Scott's hands, blowing his right hand to pieces, and wounding him severely in the left leg.

[London Gazette issue 24887 dtd 1 Oct 1880, published 1 Oct 1880.]


PETER BROWN

Trooper, Cape Mounted Riflemen

Born: December 1862, Sweden
Died: 11 September 1894, Cape Town, South Africa

Citation: Trooper Peter Brown, during the assault on Moirosi's Mountain on 8th April, 1879, whilst lying under cover waiting for the order to re-commence the advance, heard two men, who had been wounded some time before, crying out for water. Trooper Brown carried a water-bottle to these men, under a heavy fire, to an adjacent rock to which they had crept for shelter. Whilst giving the first man water he was wounded severely in the right thigh, and immediately afterwards a bullet shattered his right arm, the use of which he has never recovered.

[London Gazette issue 24833 dtd 13 Apr 1880, published 13 Apr 1880.]


Note: Moirosi's (or Morosi's) Mountain is in Lesotho, which at the time was called Basutoland.