Anthony Clarke Booth
Encyclopedia
Anthony Clarke Booth VC
(21 April 1846 – 8 December 1899) 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.
Born in Carrington, Nottingham
, he was 32 years old, and a sergeant
in the 80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers)
(later The South Staffordshire Regiment), British Army
during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
(Zulu War), during an attack by very large numbers of the enemy, Colour-Sergeant Booth rallied a few men on the south bank of the river and covered the retreat of 50 soldiers and others for a distance of three miles. Had it not been for the coolness displayed by this NCO not one man would have escaped. He later achieved the rank of Colour Sergeant
.
The London Gazette has him as a colour sergeant, but on the day of the Battle of Ntombe, (or Battle of Intombe
) he was actually a sergeant, his promotion came the following day to replace a colour sergeant killed in the action. The gazetting of his VC was delayed due to the fact the surviving officer from the action Lt. Henry Hollingworth Harward was court-martialled for cowardice, the trial commenced on 20 February 1880 and concluded on 27 February 1880, during the course of the trial Booth's award appeared in the London Gazette
on 24 February 1880.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment in Whittington, Staffordshire
.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(21 April 1846 – 8 December 1899) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Born in Carrington, Nottingham
Carrington, Nottingham
Carrington is a small suburb of Nottingham, England. It is approximately 1.3 miles North of Nottingham City Centre. It lies next to the areas of Sherwood, Mapperley Park, Forest Fields, Basford and the Forest Recreation Ground.-Amenities:...
, he was 32 years old, and a sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the 80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers)
80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers)
The 80th Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army, created in 1793 and amalgamated into The South Staffordshire Regiment in 1881....
(later The South Staffordshire Regiment), British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Zulu War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
Action
On 12 March 1879 on the Intombe River, South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
(Zulu War), during an attack by very large numbers of the enemy, Colour-Sergeant Booth rallied a few men on the south bank of the river and covered the retreat of 50 soldiers and others for a distance of three miles. Had it not been for the coolness displayed by this NCO not one man would have escaped. He later achieved the rank of Colour Sergeant
Colour Sergeant
Colour sergeant or colour serjeant is a non-commissioned title in the Royal Marines and infantry regiments of the British Army, ranking above sergeant and below warrant officer class 2....
.
The London Gazette has him as a colour sergeant, but on the day of the Battle of Ntombe, (or Battle of Intombe
Battle of Intombe
The Battle of Intombe was a small action fought on 12 March 1879, between Zulu forces and British soldiers defending a supply convoy.-Prelude:...
) he was actually a sergeant, his promotion came the following day to replace a colour sergeant killed in the action. The gazetting of his VC was delayed due to the fact the surviving officer from the action Lt. Henry Hollingworth Harward was court-martialled for cowardice, the trial commenced on 20 February 1880 and concluded on 27 February 1880, during the course of the trial Booth's award appeared in the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 24 February 1880.
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment in Whittington, Staffordshire
Whittington, Staffordshire
Whittington is a village and civil parish which lies approximately 3 miles south east of Lichfield in the Lichfield district of Staffordshire, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,591. The parish council is a joint one with Fisherwick...
.
External links
- Location of grave and VC medal (Staffordshire)