Samuel Wassall

Samuel Wassall
Born	7 April 1856 Kingswinford, Staffs., England
Died	31 January 1927 (aged 70) Barrow-in-Furness
Buried	Barrow-in-Furness Cemetery
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Private
Unit	80th Regiment of Foot
Battles/wars	Anglo-Zulu War – Battle of Isandlwana
Awards	Victoria Cross

Samuel Wassall VC (July 1856 – 31 January 1927) 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

Wassall was 22 years old, and a private in the 80th Regiment of Foot (later The South Staffordshire Regiment), British Army during the Anglo-Zulu War when the following deed took place on 22 January 1879 at the Battle of Isandlwana, Zululand, South Africa, for which he was awarded the VC:

For his gallant conduct in having, at the imminent risk of his own life, saved that of Private Westwood, of the same regiment. On the 22nd January, 1879, when the Camp at Isandhlwana was taken by the enemy, Private Wassail retreated towards the Buffalo River, in which he saw a comrade struggling, and apparently drowning. He rode to the bank, dismounted, leaving his horse on the Zulu side, rescued the man from the stream, and again mounted his horse, dragging Private Westwood across the river under a heavy shower of bullets.

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The medal

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Museum of the Staffordshire Regiment in Whittington, Staffordshire.

References

• Monuments to Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)

External links

• Location of grave and VC medal (Cumbria)
• Various information relating to his life, his award and his death Collated by Rob Wassell as part of his genealogy site