Robert Jones
Private, 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment (later South Wales Borderers
- Register No.
- 656 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment (later South Wales Borderers (register: 24th Regiment of Foot) all 24th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 22–23 January 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Zulu War (Anglo-Zulu War)
- London Gazette
- 2nd May 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Born
- 19th August 1857 at Raglan, Monmouthshire
- Died
- 6th September 1898 of gunshot wounds* at Madley, Herefordshire
- Memorial / grave
- grave* at St Peter's Church, Peterchurch, Herefordshire
Digest of citation
On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, in a ward, of the hospital. facing the hill, Private Robert Jones and Private William Jones (Reg. NO.659) defended the ward to the last, until six out of the seven patients had been removed. The seventh, Sergeant Robert Maxfield of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, was delirious and although they managed to get him dressed, they could not induce him to move and when they returned to carry him away he was being stabbed to death, by Zulus in his bed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
JONES, Robert (Reg. NO. 656)
Private 2nd Battalion 24th Regiment (later South Wales Borderers London Gazetted on 2nd May 1879 Born on 19th August 1857 at Raglan, Monmouthshire.
Died on 6th September 1898 of gunshot wounds* at Madley, Herefordshire.
Memorial at grave* at St Peter's Church, Peterchurch, Herefordshire.
Citation reads On 22nd and 23rd January 1879 at Rorke's Drift, Natal, South Africa, in a ward, of the hospital. facing the hill, Private Robert Jones and Private William Jones (Reg. NO.659) defended the ward to the last, until six out of the seven patients had been removed. The seventh, Sergeant Robert Maxfield of the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment, was delirious and although they managed to get him dressed, they could not induce him to move and when they returned to carry him away he was being stabbed to death, by Zulus in his bed.
Additional information: Private Robert Jones S/No 716 enlisted in the 24th Regt. Around August 1875. He joined the 2nd Battn. at Dover on 10th January,1876. After the Zulu War he went with the Regiment to India. He left the Army as a reservist He got employment as a farm labourer, marrying Elizabeth Hopkins in 1885 and having five children.On the 6th September 1898, he had borrowed his employers gun and gone off to shoot crows. He was found dead from shot-gun wounds. The coroners verdict was suicide as he had been complaining of headaches. He had suffered from nightmares since Rorke's Drift and taking this into consideration the Coroner returned a verdict of suicide. His family disputed this verdict. At his funeral,he was allowed to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter's, Peterchurch but only after the coffin had been passed over the wall. His gravestone,because he was a suicide, his tombstone faces the opposite direction to the others interred there. (For more details on Robert Jones, visit www.rorkesdriftvc.com)
Additional information
Private Robert Jones S/No 716 enlisted in the 24th Regt. Around August 1875. He joined the 2nd Battn. at Dover on 10th January,1876. After the Zulu War he went with the Regiment to India. He left the Army as a reservist He got employment as a farm labourer, marrying Elizabeth Hopkins in 1885 and having five children.On the 6th September 1898, he had borrowed his employers gun and gone off to shoot crows. He was found dead from shot-gun wounds. The coroners verdict was suicide as he had been complaining of headaches. He had suffered from nightmares since Rorke's Drift and taking this into consideration the Coroner returned a verdict of suicide. His family disputed this verdict. At his funeral,he was allowed to be buried in the churchyard of St Peter's, Peterchurch but only after the coffin had been passed over the wall. His gravestone,because he was a suicide, his tombstone faces the opposite direction to the others interred there. (For more details on Robert Jones, visit www.rorkesdriftvc.com)
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: grave* at St Peter's Church, Peterchurch, Herefordshire
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