Afritrex - VC Case Study
Private Samuel Wassall
Samuel Wassall (July 1856-31 January 1927) 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.
He was 22 years old, and a private in the 80th Regiment (later The South Staffordshire Regiment), British Army during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 January 1879 at Isandhlwana, Zululand, South Africa, when the camp was taken by the enemy, Private Wassall retreated towards the Buffalo River. There he saw a comrade struggling and apparently drowning. He rode to the bank and dismounted, leaving his horse on the Zulu side. He then rescued the man, mounted his horse and dragged his comrade across the river under a heavy shower of bullets. His descendant "Genial Johnny Wassall", now living in Weoley Castle,Birmingham,is a veteren of the Falklands War, and the first Gulf War in Iraq, where he Served With The Special Air Service[SAS]and was commended for his bravery by General H Norman Schwarzkopf Allied commander.
- Private Samuel Hodge
- Lieut. Wilbur Dartnell
- Wallace Duffield Wright
- James Henry Reynolds
- Samuel Wassall
- Phillip Gardener
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