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John Williams (VC)
Encyclopedia
John Williams VC
(born John Fielding 24 May 1857 – 25 November 1932), was a Welsh
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.
. John was 172 cm (5 feet 8 inches) tall. Born John Fielding, he enlisted under the name of Williams in the Monmouthshire Militia in 1877.
He was 21 years old, and a private
in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later The South Wales Borderers
), British Army
during the Anglo-Zulu War
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. It is not known why he chose to join the army, nor why he chose to enlist under the name of Williams rather than his own. (possibly to avoid being traced after running away from home).
On 22–23 January 1879 at Rorke's Drift
, Natal, South Africa
, Private Williams and two other men held a distant room of the hospital for more than an hour until they had no ammunition left, when the Zulus burst in and killed one of the men and two patients. Meanwhile Private Williams had succeeded in knocking a hole in the partition and took the two remaining patients through into the next ward. He was there joined by Alfred Henry Hook
, and working together (one holding the enemy at bayonet point while the other broke through three more partitions) they were able to bring eight patients into the inner line of defence. His citation read:
He was presented with his VC
in Gibraltar
by Major-General Anderson, Governor of Gibraltar
in 1880.
in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers. In 1914, he volunteered for service and served on the SWB Depot staff at Brecon
throughout the World War I
and served as a recruiting agent for them. He married Elizabeth Murphy and they had 3 sons and 3 daughters; one son was killed while serving with 1/SWB during the Retreat from Mons in 1914.
He died from heart failure in Cwmbran
on 24 November 1932 and was the last surviving Rorke's Drift
VC holder to die. The nursing home directly opposite his burial place in Llantarnam
, Cwmbran
was later named in his honour.
in Brecon, Powys, Wales.
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....
(born John Fielding 24 May 1857 – 25 November 1932), was a Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
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
John Fielding was the second eldest of eight children. John's parents were Michael and Margaret. Michael Fielding died at the age of 82 and is buried in the Cwmbran cemetery. John was born at Merthyr Road, Abergavenny. The entire family were CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
. John was 172 cm (5 feet 8 inches) tall. Born John Fielding, he enlisted under the name of Williams in the Monmouthshire Militia in 1877.
He was 21 years old, and a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later The South Wales Borderers
The South Wales Borderers
The South Wales Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It first came into existence, as the 24th Regiment of Foot, in 1689, but was not called the South Wales Borderers until 1881. The regiment served in a great many conflicts, including the American Revolutionary War, various...
), 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 Anglo-Zulu War
Anglo-Zulu War
The Anglo-Zulu War was fought in 1879 between the British Empire and the Zulu Kingdom.Following the imperialist scheme by which Lord Carnarvon had successfully brought about federation in Canada, it was thought that a similar plan might succeed with the various African kingdoms, tribal areas and...
when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. It is not known why he chose to join the army, nor why he chose to enlist under the name of Williams rather than his own. (possibly to avoid being traced after running away from home).
On 22–23 January 1879 at Rorke's Drift
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
, Natal, 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...
, Private Williams and two other men held a distant room of the hospital for more than an hour until they had no ammunition left, when the Zulus burst in and killed one of the men and two patients. Meanwhile Private Williams had succeeded in knocking a hole in the partition and took the two remaining patients through into the next ward. He was there joined by Alfred Henry Hook
Alfred Henry Hook
Alfred Henry "Harry" Hook VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross for his actions at the Battle of Rorke's Drift, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Background:Born in Churcham,...
, and working together (one holding the enemy at bayonet point while the other broke through three more partitions) they were able to bring eight patients into the inner line of defence. His citation read:
He was presented with his VC
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....
in Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
by Major-General Anderson, Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
in 1880.
Further information
Fielding later achieved the rank of SergeantSergeant
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 3rd Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers. In 1914, he volunteered for service and served on the SWB Depot staff at Brecon
Brecon
Brecon is a long-established market town and community in southern Powys, Mid Wales, with a population of 7,901. It was the county town of the historic county of Brecknockshire; although its role as such was eclipsed with the formation of Powys, it remains an important local centre...
throughout the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and served as a recruiting agent for them. He married Elizabeth Murphy and they had 3 sons and 3 daughters; one son was killed while serving with 1/SWB during the Retreat from Mons in 1914.
He died from heart failure in Cwmbran
Cwmbran
Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow...
on 24 November 1932 and was the last surviving Rorke's Drift
Rorke's Drift
The Battle of Rorke's Drift, also known as the Defence of Rorke's Drift, was a battle in the Anglo-Zulu War. The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of...
VC holder to die. The nursing home directly opposite his burial place in Llantarnam
Llantarnam
Llantarnam is a community and suburb of Cwmbran in the county borough of Torfaen in southeast Wales.Llantarnam Abbey is a Cistercian abbey founded in 1179 as a daughter house of Strata Florida Abbey...
, Cwmbran
Cwmbran
Cwmbrân is a new town in Wales. Today forming part of the county borough of Torfaen and lying within the historic boundaries of Monmouthshire, Cwmbrân was established in 1949 to provide new employment opportunities in the south eastern portion of the South Wales Coalfield. Cwmbrân means Crow...
was later named in his honour.
The medal
His Victoria Cross was donated to the SWB Museum by the Fielding family and is displayed at the South Wales Borderers MuseumSouth Wales Borderers Museum
The South Wales Borderers Museum is located at Brecon in Wales and is the regimental museum of the 24th Regiment of Foot. The museum's collection is made up of artefacts collected from a variety of sources from around the world and which display the regiment's 300 year history.-The collection:The...
in Brecon, Powys, Wales.
External links
- John Williams (Fielding) (biography, photos, memorial details)
- Location of grave and VC medal
- The location of his grave is at coordinates 51°37′58.61"N 3°0′11.94"W