VICTORIA CROSS MEDALS

by James E. Fargo, FSA Scot

Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross, the highest British military award for gallantry, was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856. The decoration is a simple Maltese cross in bronze and are made with metal from the guns captured by British troops at the Battle of Sebastopol. On the obverse side are the words "For Valour" and on the reverse is the date of the act of bravery for which the award was given. The name of the recipient is on a clasp to which the cross is attached.

Based on surnames, nine clansmen were identified in the 1956 Clan Annual who had earned and been awarded the Victoria Cross. These were: Private Hugh McIver; Captain Oswald Austin Reid; Flight Lieutenant William Reid; Frederick Lord Roberts; Lance Corporal Charles Graham Robertson; Captain Clement Robertson; Private James Peter Robertson; Lt. Colonel James Forbes-Robertson; and Sergeant-Major William Robertson.

In addition, the following fourteen more clansmen won the Victoria Cross: Thomas R. Colyer-Fergusson, Claude C. Dobson; Frederick Dobson; Frederick Hobson; Anketell Read; Hamilton L. Reed; Frank C. Roberts; Frederick H. S. Roberts; James R. Roberts; Peter W.W. Roberts; Edward Robinson; Eric Robinson; William Leefe Robinson and Henry Howey Robson. As this list is based on surnames only, it does not include any additional clansmen that have descended through their maternal side.

The following series of articles provide a brief outline for each of these brave clansmen and their Victoria Cross citations as published in the London Gazette.

References:
"Clan Donnachaidh Annual", Edinburgh, 1956, pp. 22-27.
Multiple Wikipedia searches.