Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill
Encyclopedia
Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill VC
(25 January 1852 – 22 January 1879) was born in Drumcondra, Dublin
was an Irish
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.
), and his wife, the Hon. Katherine Frances Plunket, daughter of John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket
. He was a nephew of David Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore
and William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket. The painter Sir Egerton Coghill, 5th Baronet
was his younger brother.
in the 1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later the South Wales Borderers
), British Army
, during the Zulu War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 January 1879, after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, South Africa
, Lieutenant Coghill joined another officer (Teignmouth Melvill
) who was trying to save the Queen's Colour of the Regiment. They were pursued by Zulu warriors, and while crossing the swollen River Buffalo, Lieutenant Coghill went to the rescue of his brother officer, who had lost his horse and was in great danger. The two men were eventually overtaken by the enemy and, following a short but gallant struggle, both were killed.
Coghill and Melvill were the first soldiers to receive the VC posthumously.
Coghill was portrayed by Christopher Cazenove
in the film Zulu Dawn
.
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....
(25 January 1852 – 22 January 1879) was born in Drumcondra, Dublin
Drumcondra, Dublin
Drumcondra is a residential area and inner suburb on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. It is administered by Dublin City Council.The River Tolka and the Royal Canal flow through the area.-History:...
was an Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
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.
Family
Coghill was the eldest son of Sir John Joscelyn Coghill (1826–1905), 4th Bt., J.P., D.L., of Drumcondra, Co. Dublin (see Coghill BaronetsCoghill Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Coghill, both in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
), and his wife, the Hon. Katherine Frances Plunket, daughter of John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket
John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket
John Span Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket of Newtown, County Cork was a Queen's Counsel He married Charlotte, daughter of the eminent judge Charles Kendal Bushe.-Family:Children of John Span Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket of Newton...
. He was a nephew of David Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore
David Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore
David Robert Plunket, 1st Baron Rathmore PC, QC was an Irish lawyer and Conservative politician.-Background and education:...
and William Plunket, 4th Baron Plunket. The painter Sir Egerton Coghill, 5th Baronet
Sir Egerton Coghill, 5th Baronet
Sir Egerton Bushe Coghill, 5th Baronet was an Irish painter.-Career:Coghill was born in Castletownshend, County Cork, the second son of Irish painter Sir John Joscelyn Coghill, 4th Baronet, and his wife the Hon. Katherine Frances, daughter of John Plunket, 3rd Baron Plunket...
was his younger brother.
Details
Coghill was twenty-six 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 1st 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 Zulu War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 January 1879, after the disaster of the Battle of Isandhlwana, 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 Coghill joined another officer (Teignmouth Melvill
Teignmouth Melvill
Teignmouth Melvill VC 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.-Details:...
) who was trying to save the Queen's Colour of the Regiment. They were pursued by Zulu warriors, and while crossing the swollen River Buffalo, Lieutenant Coghill went to the rescue of his brother officer, who had lost his horse and was in great danger. The two men were eventually overtaken by the enemy and, following a short but gallant struggle, both were killed.
Coghill and Melvill were the first soldiers to receive the VC posthumously.
Coghill was portrayed by Christopher Cazenove
Christopher Cazenove
Christopher Cazenove was an English cinema, television and stage actor.-Early life and career:He was born Christopher de Lerisson Cazenove, the son of Arnold de Lerisson Cazenove and Elizabeth Laura in Winchester, Hampshire, but was brought up in Bowlish, Somerset...
in the film Zulu Dawn
Zulu Dawn
Zulu Dawn is a 1979 war film about the historical Battle of Isandlwana between British and Zulu forces in 1879 in South Africa. The screenplay was by Cy Endfield, from his book, and Anthony Story. The film was directed by Douglas Hickox...
.
The medal
Coghill's Victoria Cross 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
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...
, Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
, Wales
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...
.
External links
- Find-A-Grave profile for Nevill Josiah Aylmer Coghill
- National Army MuseumNational Army MuseumThe National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, England adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the "Chelsea Pensioners". The National Army Museum is open to the public every day of the year from 10.00am to 5.30pm,...
Posthumous VCs: Lieutenant Nevill Coghill - A painting of Nevill Coghill
