Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones
Encyclopedia
Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones (27 September 1876 - 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.
in the Corps of Royal Engineers, British Army
during the South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 6 January 1900 during the attack on Wagon Hill (Ladysmith), South Africa
, Lieutenant Digby-Jones and a trooper (Herman Albrecht
) of the Imperial Light Horse led the force which re-occupied the top of the hill at a critical moment, just as the three foremost attacking Boers reached it. The leader was shot by Lieutenant Digby-Jones and the two others by the trooper.
A memorial to him stands in his old school, Sedbergh, commemorating his brave deeds.
(Chatham, England).
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
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.
Details
He was 23 years old, and a lieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the Corps of Royal Engineers, 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 South African War (Boer War) when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 6 January 1900 during the attack on Wagon Hill (Ladysmith), South Africa
South 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...
, Lieutenant Digby-Jones and a trooper (Herman Albrecht
Herman Albrecht
Herman Albrecht VC was a South African 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.- Details :...
) of the Imperial Light Horse led the force which re-occupied the top of the hill at a critical moment, just as the three foremost attacking Boers reached it. The leader was shot by Lieutenant Digby-Jones and the two others by the trooper.
A memorial to him stands in his old school, Sedbergh, commemorating his brave deeds.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Engineers MuseumRoyal Engineers Museum
The Royal Engineers Museum, Library & Archive is a military engineering museum and library in Gillingham, Kent, England. It tells the story of the Corps of Royal Engineers and British military engineering in general.-History:The Library was founded in 1812...
(Chatham, England).
External links
- Photo of memorial in Ladysmith cemetery listing Robert James Thomas Digby-Jones, from Genealogical Society of South Africa online library.