# Robert Jones (VC) > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Jones_(VC) > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Robert_Jones_(VC).md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jones_(VC) > Source revision: 1352845915 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Recipient of the Victoria Cross Robert Jones Born (1857-08-19)19 August 1857 Penrhos, Monmouthshire, Wales Died 6 September 1898(1898-09-06) (aged 41) Peterchurch, Herefordshire, England Buried St Peter's parish churchyard, Peterchurch 52°2′29″N 2°57′22.5″W / 52.04139°N 2.956250°W / 52.04139; -2.956250 Allegiance United Kingdom Branch British Army Rank Private Unit 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot Conflicts Anglo-Zulu War Rorke's Drift Awards Victoria Cross South Africa Medal[1] **Robert Jones** [VC](/source/Victoria_Cross) (19 August 1857 – 6 September 1898) was a Welsh recipient of the [Victoria Cross](/source/Victoria_Cross) for his actions at the [Battle of Rorke's Drift](/source/Battle_of_Rorke's_Drift) in January 1879, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations) forces. Jones was born at [Penrhos](/source/Penrhos%2C_Monmouthshire), a hamlet to the north of [Raglan](/source/Raglan%2C_Monmouthshire) in [Monmouthshire](/source/Monmouthshire), Wales. ## Military achievements Jones, aged 21, was serving as a [private](/source/Private_(rank)) in the 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot (later [The South Wales Borderers](/source/The_South_Wales_Borderers)) of the [British Army](/source/British_Army) during the [Anglo-Zulu War](/source/Anglo-Zulu_War). At the Battle of Rorke's Drift, he and Private 593 [William Jones](/source/William_Jones_(VC)) were stationed in a hospital room facing the hill. Despite overwhelming odds, the two maintained a steady rate of fire. While one soldier worked to cut a hole through the partition into the adjoining room, the other continued to fire at advancing Zulu warriors through the loopholed walls, alternating between his own and his comrade’s rifle as the barrels became too hot from continuous use. By their combined efforts, the two men carried six patients to safety through the broken partition. A seventh, Sgt. Maxfield was delirious and refused to be helped. When Robert Jones returned to take Maxfield to safety by force, he found him in his bed being stabbed by Zulus.[2] Robert Jones suffered four [assegai](/source/Assegai) spear wounds, was struck by a bullet, and had minor burns. After the battle, General Sir [Garnet Wolseley](/source/Garnet_Wolseley%2C_1st_Viscount_Wolseley) awarded Robert and William Jones the VC at [Utrecht, Transvaal](/source/Utrecht%2C_South_Africa). ## Later life Jones' headstone at [Peterchurch](/source/Peterchurch), Herefordshire After leaving the army, Jones settled in [Herefordshire](/source/Herefordshire) where he became a farm labourer. He married Elizabeth Hopkins. They had five children: Robert Jones, jr, Edith Emily East (née Jones), Alice Smith (née Jones) Lily Rose Griffiths (née Jones) and Ellen Kelly (née Jones) called Nellie by the family. In 1898 Jones died in [Peterchurch](/source/Peterchurch), Herefordshire, from gunshot wounds to the head at the age of 41. He had borrowed his employer's shotgun to go crow-shooting. His death certificate records a verdict of [suicide](/source/Suicide) whilst being insane. The coroner heard that he was plagued by recurring nightmares arising from his desperate hand-to-hand combat with [Zulus](/source/Zulu_Kingdom). Jones was buried at St Peter's Church. Instead of being carried through the church gates into the graveyard, his coffin was taken over the wall due to the stigma of the time in regards to suicide. Jones' headstone faces in the opposite direction (north) to the others of the time (which face south). Jones' widow, Elizabeth, gave damning[*[clarification needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Please_clarify)*] evidence at his inquest. She later married a William Tilbury, by whom she had two further children. ## Victoria Cross Jones' Victoria Cross passed out of the family. In 1996 [Lord Ashcroft](/source/Michael_Ashcroft) bought it at auction for £80,000. It is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the [Imperial War Museum](/source/Imperial_War_Museum), London. Ashcroft outbid both the South Wales Borderers' regimental museum and members of Jones' family. Members of the family had approached the regimental museum but had been told the museum were not in a position to bid but the museum did bid for the medal, and without realising it, family members who wanted to buy the Victoria Cross and donate it to the regimental museum unwittingly ended up bidding against the museum.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Film In the 1964 film *[Zulu](/source/Zulu_(1964_film))*, actor [Denys Graham](/source/Denys_Graham) played Jones. ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Fold3zulu77_1-0)** ["The South Africa Medal Roll, 1877"](https://www.fold3.com/record/741194756/jones-robert-uk-the-south-africa-medal-roll-1877). Retrieved 1 October 2024 – via Fold3. transcriptions of 26,472 campaign veterans, including those of the 24th Foot, from WO 100/46 and other ledgers 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["No. 24717"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/24717/page/3178). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 2 May 1879. p. 3178. ## Further reading - Brazier, Kevin (2018). *Victoria Crosses of the Zulu and Boer Wars*. Pen & Sword Military. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-39-909913-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-39-909913-4). ## External links - ["Pte. Robert Jones (716, B Coy. 24th. Regiment)"](http://www.rorkesdriftvc.com/vc/jones.htm). *rorkesdriftvc.com*. v t e Royal Welsh Predecessors 1st generation Royal Welch Fusiliers (1689–2006) South Wales Borderers (1689–1969) 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot (1719–1881) 69th (South Lincolnshire) Regiment of Foot (1756–1881) 2nd generation Welch Regiment (1881–1969) 3rd generation Royal Regiment of Wales (1969–2006) Victoria Cross William Wilson Allan David Bell Gonville Bromhead Edward Stevenson Browne Alexander Cobbe Nevill Coghill William Griffiths Frederick Hitch Alfred Henry Hook Dudley Graham Johnson William Jones Teignmouth Melvill Ivor Rees John Williams John Henry Williams Angus Buchanan James Cooper Campbell Mellis Douglas James Fynn Edric Gifford Robert Jones Thomas Murphy Albert White Ambrose Madden Hugh Rowlands William Charles Fuller Hubert William Lewis Edgar Myles Tasker Watkins Frederick Barter Edward William Derrington Bell John Collins James Llewellyn Davies Joseph John Davies Charles Doughty-Wylie Albert Hill George Monger Luke O'Connor Henry Weale Thomas Bernard Hackett Robert Shields William Henry Thomas Sylvester William Herbert Waring See also Battle of Rorke's Drift Prince of Wales's feathers Men of Harlech Firing Line Prince of Wales' Division Welsh Guards 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Robert Jones (VC)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jones_(VC)) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jones_(VC)?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.