William Dick-Cunyngham

William Dick-Cunyngham
Born	16 June 1851
Died	6 January 1900 (aged 48)
Place of birth	Edinburgh, Scotland
Place of death	Ladysmith, South Africa
Buried at	Ladysmith Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Lieutenant Colonel
Unit	The Gordon Highlanders
Battles/wars	Second Anglo-Afghan War Second Boer War
Awards	Victoria Cross

Lieutenant Colonel William Henry Dick-Cunyngham VC (16 June 1851 – 6 January 1900) was a Scottish 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.

Background

Dick-Cunynigham was the youngest son of Sir William Hanmer Dick-Cunyngham, 8th Baronet of Prestonfield and Lambrughton

Military career and VC details

He was 28 years old, and a lieutenant in The Gordon Highlanders, British Army during the Second Anglo-Afghan War when the following deed took place on 13 December 1879 during the attack on the Sherpur Pass, Afghanistan for which he was awarded the VC.

For the conspicuous gallantry and coolness displayed by him on the 13th December, 1879, at the attack on the Sherpur Pass, in Afghanistan, in having exposed himself to the full fire of the enemy, and by his example and encouragement rallied the men who, having been beaten back, were, at the moment, wavering at the top of the hill.

In 1899 he was appointed in command of the 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders, which was sent to South Africa for the Second Boer War. While in South Africa, he was killed in action at the siege of Ladysmith, on 6 January 1900.

The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen, Scotland.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• Scotland's Forgotten Valour (Graham Ross, 1995)

External links

• William Dick-Cunyngham at Find a Grave