Teignmouth Melvill

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.

Details
The son of P. Melville of London, 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 gallant 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 unfortunately carried downstream, the two men were overtaken by the enemy and following a short but gallant struggle both were killed. The Colour was retrieved from the river 10 days later.

Coghill and Melvill were amongst the first individuals to be awarded a Victoria Cross posthumously in the initial awards of 1907. 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.