VICTORIA CROSS HEROES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2265, 29 July 1897, Page 35

VICTORIA CROSS HEROES.

Victoria Crosses for gallant conduct in South Africa are promised in the London Gazette to Captain Randolph Cosby Nesbitt, of th« Mashonaland Mounted Police, and to Trooper Herbert Stephen .Henderson, of the Bulawayo Field Force. Captain Nesbitt's act of courage which has recommended him to the Queen for the Victoria Cross is thus set forth in the Gazette :— " This officer, on the 19th June, 1896, led the Mazce Rescue Patrol, consisting of only 13 men, fought his way through the rebels to get to Salthouse's, party, and succeeded in bringing them back to Salisbury, with heavy fighting, in which three of his small force were killed and five wounded, and 15 horses killed and wounded." Trooper Henderson's Victoria Cross has been won for the gallant action officially described in thspe terma : — "On the morning of the 30th March, 1896, just before daylight, Captain Macfarlane's party was turprised by the natives. Troopers Celliers and Henderson, who formed part of the advanced guard, were cat off from the main body, and Celliers was shot through the knee. His horse also was badly wounded, and eventually died. Henderson then placed Cellier3 on his own horse, and made the best of his way to Bulawayo. The country between Campbell's Store, where they were cut off, and Bulawayo, a distance of about 35 miles, was full of natives fully armed, and they had therefore to proceed principally by night, hiding in the bush iv the d*j time. Celliers, v/ho wss weak from loss of blcod, and in great agony, asked Henderson to leave him, but he would not, and brought him iv, after passing two days and one nicht in the veldt without food:.'"

' Another trooper would have had the Victoria Cross had he lived to wear it. His friends will have the melancholy satisfaction of knowing that this has been officially put on record in the following memorandum in the London Gazette :—": — " Trooper Frank William Baxter, of the Bulawayo Field Force, on account of his gallant conduct in having, on the 22ud April, 1896, dismounted and given up his horse to a wounded comrade, Corporal Wiseman, who was being closely pursued by an overwhelming force of the enemy, would have been recommended to : her Majesty for the Victoria Crocs had he suri vived."