Victoria Cross Details
Gough was 31 years old, and a Brevet Major in The Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own), British Army during the Third Somaliland Expedition when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 22 April 1903, Gough was in command of a column on the march which was attacked by an enemy force in superior numbers led by Mohammed Abdullah Hassan near Daratoleh, British Somaliland. After conducting a successful defence, then a fighting withdrawal, Gough came back to help two captains (William George Walker and George Murray Rolland). The captains were helping a mortally wounded officer. They managed to get the wounded officer onto a camel, but then he was wounded again and died immediately. The two captains won the VC for their actions. However, Gough played down his own part in the event. It was not until late in the year that the true story came out indicating that Gough was equally deserving of recognition. He was subsequently awarded the VC in January 1904. The King presented the medal to him at Buckingham Palace on 29 February 1904. He was appointed Aide-de-Camp to the King in August 1907.
Read more about this topic: John Gough (VC)
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