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Victoria Cross Awards.
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The highest award for gallantry in the British Army is the Victoria Cross which was instituted by Royal Warrant in 1856. Here are the details of two members of West India Regiments who won the award while serving with the unit. |
Private Samuel Hodge
4th West Indian Regiment.
| Campaign | Gambia (West Africa) |
| Age | 39 |
| Deed | On 30 June 1866 at Tubabecelong, near the River Gambia, West Africa, at the storming and capture of the stockaded town, Private Hodge and another man, who was afterwards killed, volunteered to hew down the stockade. After the colonel had effected an entrance Private Hodge followed him through the town, opening with his axe two barricaded gates and so allowing the support troops to enter. On reaching the other side of the town Private Hodge was acclaimed as the bravest man in the regiment, but he was very severely wounded. |
| Remarks | Later achieved rank of Lance-Corporal. Details of the award: London Gazette, 4th January 1867 |
| Lance-Corporal Samuel Hodge VC, 4th West India Regiment. He
was born in Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and was the first soldier of African
descent to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The first person of African Decent of any of the
British armed forces to be awarded the medal was Able Seaman William Hall of the Royal
Navy. He was presented with the medal on the 24th June 1867 in British Honduras (now
Belize), nearly one year after the action he was involved in. he never fully recovered
from his wounds and died less than seven months after receiving his medal. It should also be noted that the Victoria Cross was not awarded posthumously at this time and his comrade who assisted in the assault, Private Boswell, may have been awarded the medal as well. |
Lance-Corporal William James Gordon.
West India Regiment.
| Campaign | Gambia (West Africa) (2nd) |
| Age | 28 |
| Deed | On 13th March 1892 at Toniataba, West Africa, the major who was in command of the troops was superintending a party of 12 men who were trying, with a heavy beam, to break down the south gate of the town. Suddenly a number of musket-muzzles appeared through a double row of loopholes, some of them being only two or three yards from the major's back and before he realised what had happened, Lance-Corporal Gordon threw himself between the major and the muskets, pushing that officer out of the way. At the same moment the NCO was shot through the lungs. |
| Remarks | Later achieved rank of Sergeant. Details of the award: London Gazette, 9th December 1892 |
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Sergeant William J. Gordon VC, 1st Battalion, The West India Regiment. He was born in Jamaica and is pictured here in 1897 wearing his Victoria Cross. Sergeant Gordon was later employed as part of the Regiments Depot Recruiting Party in Up Park Camp, Jamaica. He spent his final years in charge of the camps firing range, living in an adjacent "grace and favour" property. He died in August 1922 and was buried with full military honours. |
Other Information.
Name |
Born |
Died |
Grave |
Location of VC |
| William James GORDON | Jamaica, West Indies, 19th May 1864 |
15th August 1922, Jamaica |
Up Park Military Camp Cemetery | Jamaica Defence Force Museum, Kingston |
| Samuel, HODGE |
Tortola, Virgin Islands, c.1840 |
14th January 1868, Belize City, Honduras (now Belize) |
Belize City Military Cemetery (grave not marked) |
Unknown - Not publicly held |
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Regiments of the British West Indies. ©
Copyright 1999
Sunday, 21 October 2001